Patents by Inventor David L. Rick

David L. Rick 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: 11169112
    Abstract: An embodiment provides a method for measuring pH in an aqueous sample with a frit-less electrode, including: introducing an aqueous sample into a measurement device comprising at least three electrodes, wherein at least one electrode of the at least three electrodes comprises a ground rod electrode, wherein at least one electrode of the at least three electrodes comprises a first measurement electrode, and wherein at least one electrode of the at least three electrodes comprises a second measurement electrode; measuring a first electrical potential between the first measurement electrode and the ground rod electrode in the aqueous sample; measuring a second electrical potential between the second measurement electrode and the ground rod electrode in the aqueous sample; and identifying a pH of the aqueous sample based upon a difference between the first electrical potential and the second electrical potential. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: HACH COMPANY
    Inventors: Vishnu Rajasekharan, David L. Rick
  • Patent number: 10718861
    Abstract: A method for constructing a frequency profile of an emitted signal suitable for use in a non-contact ranging system with multi-scale spectral analysis includes determining N stepped frequency chirps, wherein each frequency chirp of the N stepped frequency chirps has a linear FM modulation of predetermined bandwidth and slope, and wherein a starting frequency for each of the plurality of stepped frequency chirps is chosen so that a non-linear step profile is created which extends over a predetermined total bandwidth, sorting the plurality of N stepped frequency chirps into P sub-sequences, where P is equal to the product of decimation factors to be used in the multi-scale spectral analysis, and ordering the P sub-sequences end to end in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: HACH COMPANY
    Inventor: David L. Rick
  • Patent number: 10571315
    Abstract: An embodiment provides a method for measuring velocity and depth of fluid flow in a channel, including: transmitting, using a transmitter, directed energy comprising a single energy beam slant-wise toward a surface of a fluid in a fluid channel producing a plurality of reflections, wherein the transmitting comprises modulating a frequency associated with the single energy beam; detecting, at a receiver, received signals from the plurality of reflections; and determining, based upon differences between parameters of the transmitted single energy beam and parameters of the received signals, the velocity of the fluid and the depth of the fluid. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: HACH COMPANY
    Inventor: David L. Rick
  • Publication number: 20190369045
    Abstract: An embodiment provides a method for measuring pH in an aqueous sample with a frit-less electrode, including: introducing an aqueous sample into a measurement device comprising at least three electrodes, wherein at least one electrode of the at least three electrodes comprises a ground rod electrode, wherein at least one electrode of the at least three electrodes comprises a first measurement electrode, and wherein at least one electrode of the at least three electrodes comprises a second measurement electrode; measuring a first electrical potential between the first measurement electrode and the ground rod electrode in the aqueous sample; measuring a second electrical potential between the second measurement electrode and the ground rod electrode in the aqueous sample; and identifying a pH of the aqueous sample based upon a difference between the first electrical potential and the second electrical potential. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Vishnu Rajasekharan, David L. Rick
  • Patent number: 10408648
    Abstract: An embodiment provides a method for measuring a fluid parameter of fluid flowing in a channel, including: transmitting, using a transmitter of a device, directed energy carrying a signal toward a surface of a fluid in a fluid channel, so as to produce one or more reflections from the fluid surface; detecting, by at least one receiver of the device, one or more received signals associated with the one or more reflections so produced; and determining, based upon a measurement beam comprising characteristics of the transmitted and received signals, a fluid parameter to be measured using a processor of the device; wherein, a measurement beam characteristic is adjusted based on a distance from the device to the fluid surface. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: HACH COMPANY
    Inventors: David L. Rick, Ernie Ray Paoli, Philip N. King
  • Patent number: 10295385
    Abstract: An embodiment provides a method for measuring velocity of fluid flow in a channel, including: transmitting, using a transmitter, directed energy carrying a signal toward a surface of a fluid in a fluid channel so as to produce a plurality reflections from locations substantially spanning the entire width of the fluid channel; detecting, using a plurality of measurement beams, received signals from the plurality of reflections so produced; determining, based upon differences between transmitted and received signals, a plurality of localized velocities; and computing, from the plurality of localized velocities, a cross-sectional average velocity of fluid in the channel. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: HACH COMPANY
    Inventors: David L. Rick, Lawrence J. Scally, Dean Joseph Pizio, Ernie Ray Paoli, Philip N. King
  • Publication number: 20190086247
    Abstract: An embodiment provides a method for measuring velocity and depth of fluid flow in a channel, including: transmitting, using a transmitter, directed energy comprising a single energy beam slant-wise toward a surface of a fluid in a fluid channel producing a plurality of reflections, wherein the transmitting comprises modulating a frequency associated with the single energy beam; detecting, at a receiver, received signals from the plurality of reflections; and determining, based upon differences between parameters of the transmitted single energy beam and parameters of the received signals, the velocity of the fluid and the depth of the fluid. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventor: David L. Rick
  • Publication number: 20190086531
    Abstract: A method for constructing a frequency profile of an emitted signal suitable for use in a non-contact ranging system with multi-scale spectral analysis includes determining N stepped frequency chirps, wherein each frequency chirp of the N stepped frequency chirps has a linear FM modulation of predetermined bandwidth and slope, and wherein a starting frequency for each of the plurality of stepped frequency chirps is chosen so that a non-linear step profile is created which extends over a predetermined total bandwidth, sorting the plurality of N stepped frequency chirps into P sub-sequences, where P is equal to the product of decimation factors to be used in the multi-scale spectral analysis, and ordering the P sub-sequences end to end in time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventor: David L. Rick
  • Patent number: 10161770
    Abstract: An embodiment provides a device for measuring a fluid parameter of fluid flow in a channel, including: a transmitter; at least one receiver; a processor operatively coupled to the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver; a memory device that stores instructions executable by the processor to: transmit, using the transmitter, directed energy carrying a signal toward a surface of a fluid in a fluid channel, so as to produce one or more reflections from the fluid surface; detect, by the at least one receiver, one or more received signals associated with the one or more reflections so produced; determine, based upon a measurement beam comprising characteristics of the transmitted and received signals, one or more fluid parameters to be measured using a processor of the device; and associate, using a processor of the device, the one or more fluid parameters with a channel segment. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: OTT Hydromet GmbH
    Inventors: David L. Rick, Martin Kennerknecht, Stefan Siedschlag, Fabian Kratz, Leon Audergon
  • Publication number: 20180003531
    Abstract: An embodiment provides a device for measuring a fluid parameter of fluid flow in a channel, including: a transmitter; at least one receiver; a processor operatively coupled to the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver; a memory device that stores instructions executable by the processor to: transmit, using the transmitter, directed energy carrying a signal toward a surface of a fluid in a fluid channel, so as to produce one or more reflections from the fluid surface; detect, by the at least one receiver, one or more received signals associated with the one or more reflections so produced; determine, based upon a measurement beam comprising characteristics of the transmitted and received signals, one or more fluid parameters to be measured using a processor of the device; and associate, using a processor of the device, the one or more fluid parameters with a channel segment. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: David L. Rick, Martin Kennerknecht, Stefan Siedschlag, Fabian Kratz, Leon Audergon
  • Publication number: 20180003535
    Abstract: An embodiment provides a method for measuring a fluid parameter of fluid flowing in a channel, including: transmitting, using a transmitter of a device, directed energy carrying a signal toward a surface of a fluid in a fluid channel, so as to produce one or more reflections from the fluid surface; detecting, by at least one receiver of the device, one or more received signals associated with the one or more reflections so produced; and determining, based upon a measurement beam comprising characteristics of the transmitted and received signals, a fluid parameter to be measured using a processor of the device; wherein, a measurement beam characteristic is adjusted based on a distance from the device to the fluid surface. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: David L. Rick, Ernie Ray Paoli, Philip N. King
  • Publication number: 20180003533
    Abstract: An embodiment provides a method for measuring velocity of fluid flow in a channel, including: transmitting, using a transmitter, directed energy carrying a signal toward a surface of a fluid in a fluid channel so as to produce a plurality reflections from locations substantially spanning the entire width of the fluid channel; detecting, using a plurality of measurement beams, received signals from the plurality of reflections so produced; determining, based upon differences between transmitted and received signals, a plurality of localized velocities; and computing, from the plurality of localized velocities, a cross-sectional average velocity of fluid in the channel. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: David L. Rick, Lawrence J. Scally, Dean Joseph Pizio, Ernie Ray Paoli, Philip N. King
  • Patent number: 7342506
    Abstract: A remote monitoring system is described which enables monitoring of flow meters or other scientific instruments from a remote location using the GSM cellular phone network. The system includes a wireless modem utilizing the GSM cellular phone network, a central processing unit, connection of a scientific instrument to the central processing unit, power supply (e.g. one or more batteries), and an enclosure for housing the components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Hach Company
    Inventors: Ernie R. Paoli, Timothy A. Higgins, David L. Rick
  • Publication number: 20040239523
    Abstract: A remote monitoring system is described which enables monitoring of flow meters or other scientific instruments from a remote location using the GSM cellular phone network. The system includes a wireless modem utilizing the GSM cellular phone network, a central processing unit, connection of a scientific instrument to the central processing unit, power supply (e.g. one or more batteries), and an enclosure for housing the components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: Ernie R. Paoli, Timothy A. Higgins, David L. Rick