Patents by Inventor Christian Hoferer

Christian Hoferer 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).

  • Publication number: 20230359776
    Abstract: A level sensor configured to activate a safe operating state is provided, including an input interface configured to receive a first activation command to start a first activation method for activating the safe operating state; and a controller connected to the input interface and being configured to perform the first activation method after receiving the first activation command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: VEGA Grieshaber KG
    Inventors: Christian HOFERER, Manuel KAUFMANN
  • Publication number: 20230332939
    Abstract: A level-measuring device, for determining a level of a medium is described, with an evaluation unit, that generates a measuring signal for determining the level based on a digitally converted signal of a reflected signal emitted from the level-measuring device toward the medium, wherein the level is determined based on a characteristic feature of the measuring signal; and that monitors, by way of a monitoring function, the determination of the level based on the characteristic feature and wherein the monitoring function selectively has at least one of a higher quality level and a lower quality level to the determination of the level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Applicant: VEGA Grieshaber KG
    Inventors: Christian HOFERER, René HERRMANN, Manuel KAUFMANN, Martin GAISER, Joachim BENZ
  • Publication number: 20230273060
    Abstract: A method for distributed determination of a filling level or limit level of a filling material by means of a sensor is provided, the method including steps of: determining, by the sensor, characteristic values of significant reflection points of an echo curve; and transmitting, by the sensor, the characteristic values of significant reflection points to a server, the characteristic values being usable for determining the filling level or the limit level in a decision process. A sensor configured to perform the steps of the method, and a server configured to perform the steps of the method, are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: VEGA Grieshaber KG
    Inventors: Roland WELLE, Christian HOFERER
  • Publication number: 20230030027
    Abstract: A field device having an integrated first chip card with a first set of parameters and an interface to a replaceable second chip card. The interface is arranged to receive a second set of parameters from the second chip card. The field device is arranged to establish a connection to a cloud service using the first and/or second set of parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: VEGA GRIESHABER KG
    Inventors: Manfred METZGER, Christian HOFERER, Dominik FEHRENBACH
  • Publication number: 20230030683
    Abstract: A measuring device for process automation in an industrial environment is provided, the measuring device including: a first sensor device configured to detect a process variable; a position detection device configured to detect a position of the measuring device; a second sensor device configured to acquire environmental data; and a controller configured to analyze the acquired environmental data, determine, based on the analysis, whether or not a current position of the measuring device should be detected, and instruct the position detection device to detect the current position of the measuring device when the analysis of the environmental data has determined that the current position should be detected. A method for determining a position of a measuring device is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: VEGA GRIESHABER KG
    Inventors: Christian HOFERER, Manuel KAUFMANN
  • Patent number: 11313711
    Abstract: A field device is provided for detecting a process measurement variable, which is configured as a level measuring device for detecting a fill level of a medium, the field device including: a sensor arrangement to detect a measurement signal correlating with the process measurement variable; and a computing arrangement to determine a measurement value of the process measurement variable based on the measurement signal, the computing arrangement including at least one first computing device and at least one second computing device, the first computing device being configured to perform at least one deterministic computing operation, and the second computing device including at least one artificial intelligence module, and being configured to perform at least one probability-based and/or classification-based computing operation. A method of operating the field device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG
    Inventor: Christian Hoferer
  • Patent number: 11231492
    Abstract: A radar fill level measurement device for determining a fill level of a medium is provided, including a transmitter configured to transmit a transmission signal towards the medium; a receiver configured to receive a reception signal reflected by the medium; and a controller configured to determine the fill level of the medium based on the reception signal and based on at least one evaluation parameter, the radar fill level measurement device being configured to vary a transmitting power of the transmission signal, the controller being further configured to determine a current transmitting power of the transmission signal, and the controller being further configured to vary, based on the determined current transmitting power, a value of the at least one evaluation parameter and/or at least one measurement signal that correlates with the reception signal, such that the fill level is determined taking into account the transmitting power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG
    Inventors: Christian Hoferer, Joachim Benz, Thomas Deck, Johannes Franz, Martin Gaiser, Karl Griessbaum, Juergen Haas, Andreas Isenmann, Manuel Kaufmann, Juergen Motzer, Daniel Schultheiss, Roland Welle
  • Patent number: 11153848
    Abstract: A field device for process automation, comprising a short-range wireless communication circuit having a mobile communication device and a control circuit for controlling the communication circuit. The control circuit selects data stored in the field device, instructs the communication circuit to transmit the selected data in a publicly available broadcast mode, establishes a short-range communication connection with the mobile communication device, and uses configuration data that the mobile communication device has sent to the field device after establishing the short-range communication connection in order to change the selection of data sent out in the publicly available broadcast mode or to stop the broadcast mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: VEGA GRIESHABER KG
    Inventors: Christian Hoferer, Manfred Metzger, Juergen Haas
  • Publication number: 20210262848
    Abstract: A field device is provided for detecting a process measurement variable, which is configured as a level measuring device for detecting a fill level of a medium, the field device including: a sensor arrangement to detect a measurement signal correlating with the process measurement variable; and a computing arrangement to determine a measurement value of the process measurement variable based on the measurement signal, the computing arrangement including at least one first computing device and at least one second computing device, the first computing device being configured to perform at least one deterministic computing operation, and the second computing device including at least one artificial intelligence module, and being configured to perform at least one probability-based and/or classification-based computing operation. A method of operating the field device is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Applicant: VEGA Grieshaber KG
    Inventor: Christian HOFERER
  • Publication number: 20190349890
    Abstract: A field device for process automation, comprising a short-range wireless communication circuit having a mobile communication device and a control circuit for controlling the communication circuit. The control circuit selects data stored in the field device, instructs the communication circuit to transmit the selected data in a publicly available broadcast mode, establishes a short-range communication connection with the mobile communication device, and uses configuration data that the mobile communication device has sent to the field device after establishing the short-range communication connection in order to change the selection of data sent out in the publicly available broadcast mode or to stop the broadcast mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Applicant: VEGA GRIESHABER KG
    Inventors: Christian HOFERER, Manfred METZGER, Juergen HAAS
  • Patent number: 10254146
    Abstract: The topology of a filling material surface is first determined by sampling the surface of the filling material in order to determine the fill level. When calculating the surface topology of the filling material, the measurement signal, which has been reflected at the filling material surface and has been picked up by the antenna unit of the fill level measurement device, is evaluated, taking into account the distance between the source of the measurement signal and a center of rotation of the main emission axis of the antenna. This makes it possible to accurately determine the fill level of bulk materials, even if the source of the measurement signal and the center of rotation of the main emission axis do not coincide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: VEGA GRIESHABER KG
    Inventor: Christian Hoferer
  • Patent number: 10222250
    Abstract: A coaxial probe is for a time-domain reflectometry fill level measurement device. The internal conductor of which is tensioned against the external conductor using a tension element. The tension element is in the form of a disc for example, and includes an internal thread which is screwed onto an external thread on the end of the internal conductor. Thus, the number of spacers can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: VEGA GRIESHABER KG
    Inventors: Christian Hoferer, Florian Zimmermann
  • Publication number: 20190033116
    Abstract: A radar fill level measurement device for determining a fill level of a medium is provided, including a transmitter configured to transmit a transmission signal towards the medium; a receiver configured to receive a reception signal reflected by the medium; and a controller configured to determine the fill level of the medium based on the reception signal and based on at least one evaluation parameter, the radar fill level measurement device being configured to vary a transmitting power of the transmission signal, the controller being further configured to determine a current transmitting power of the transmission signal, and the controller being further configured to vary, based on the determined current transmitting power, a value of the at least one evaluation parameter and/or at least one measurement signal that correlates with the reception signal, such that the fill level is determined taking into account the transmitting power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Applicant: VEGA Grieshaber KG
    Inventors: Christian HOFERER, Joachim Benz, Thomas Deck, Johannes Franz, Martin Gaiser, Karl Griessbaum, Juergen Haas, Andreas Isenmann, Manuel Kaufmann, Juergen Motzer, Daniel Schultheiss, Roland Welle
  • Patent number: 9638568
    Abstract: A weight apparatus for a waveguide has a wave resistance. The weight apparatus includes a weight body having a fixing device. The fixing device is adapted to fix the weight body to the waveguide and has a wave resistance which is substantially adapted to the wave resistance of the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: VEGA GRIESHABER KG
    Inventors: Juergen Haas, Christian Hoferer, Karl Griessbaum
  • Publication number: 20170059387
    Abstract: The topology of a filling material surface is first determined by sampling the surface of the filling material in order to determine the fill level. When calculating the surface topology of the filling material, the measurement signal, which has been reflected at the filling material surface and has been picked up by the antenna unit of the fill level measurement device, is evaluated, taking into account the distance between the source of the measurement signal and a center of rotation of the main emission axis of the antenna. This makes it possible to accurately determine the fill level of bulk materials, even if the source of the measurement signal and the center of rotation of the main emission axis do not coincide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Applicant: VEGA GRIESHABER KG
    Inventor: Christian HOFERER
  • Publication number: 20160252385
    Abstract: A coaxial probe is for a time-domain reflectometry fill level measurement device. The internal conductor of which is tensioned against the external conductor using a tension element. The tension element is in the form of a disc for example, and includes an internal thread which is screwed onto an external thread on the end of the internal conductor. Thus, the number of spacers can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicant: VEGA Grieshaber KG
    Inventors: Christian Hoferer, Florian ZIMMERMANN
  • Patent number: 9086310
    Abstract: A level gauge carries out a tracking method with consideration of the mobility of the echoes. For this purpose, mobility values of echoes of an echo curve are determined and the expectancy function, by means of which it is determined whether a certain echo needs to be assigned to a certain track, is determined with consideration of at least one of the mobility values. In this way, the correct allocation of an echo to a certain track may be realized with high reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG
    Inventors: Christian Hoferer, Roland Welle
  • Publication number: 20150168203
    Abstract: A weight apparatus for a waveguide has a wave resistance. The weight apparatus includes a weight body having a fixing device. The fixing device is adapted to fix the weight body to the waveguide and has a wave resistance which is substantially adapted to the wave resistance of the waveguide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Juergen HAAS, Christian HOFERER, Karl GRIESSBAUM
  • Publication number: 20150142363
    Abstract: A model is based on noise-suppression technique in level indicators that uses mutually independent mathematical models, the quality of each of which models is calculated by comparing with measured values. The models are then weighted and combined, or a single model is selected, in order to calculate the level at a later point in time. Effective noise suppression may be achieved by these means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Christian HOFERER
  • Publication number: 20150032411
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, the received signal of a level sensor is sampled at discrete times, and the sampled values are digitised. New values are obtained from the digitised sample values by rotating the phase through a predetermined angle, which new values are then used together with the digital sample values to calculate the envelope curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Christian Hoferer, Roland Welle, Werner Reich