Patents by Inventor Dietmar Spanke

Dietmar Spanke 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: 9442000
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining and monitoring fill level of a medium in a container using a travel time measuring method, wherein transmission signals are transmitted toward the medium and reflection signals are received. The received reflection signals are registered as echo signals in an echo function dependent on travel time. Based on known measuring device- and container-specific reflection planes, possible reflection regions in the echo function are calculated by means of an evaluation algorithm. In the calculated reflection regions, the disturbance echo signals and/or the multiecho signals in the echo function are classified, wherein non-classified reflection signals are ascertained and checked as wanted echo signals by means of a search algorithm, wherein, from a position and/or an amplitude of at least one wanted echo signal, fill level is determined, and wherein the measured value of fill level is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: ENDRESS + HAUSER GMBH + CO. KG
    Inventors: Edgar Schmitt, Dietmar Spanke, Alexey Malinovskiy, Stefan Gorenflo, Klaus Feisst
  • Publication number: 20160089840
    Abstract: A method for manufacture of at least one component of a field device for determining or monitoring a process variable, wherein the field device is applied in automation technology and is manufactured from at least one material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Joachim Albert, Detlev Wittmer, Marc Baret, Thomas Uehlin, Dietmar Spanke, Benjamin Mack
  • Publication number: 20150323370
    Abstract: A method for evaluation of measurement signals of a level gauge, which works according to the transit time principle, comprising the steps of transmitting a transmission signal towards a filling material; receiving an echo signal of the transmission signal; determining a fill level of the filling material according to the transit time principle of the echo signal; determining at least one parameter of the echo signal; and storing the values of the at least one parameter and the corresponding fill level. The at least one parameter is a phase position of the echo signal and/or a rate at which a height of the filling material in a tank changes and/or a change in amplitude of the echo signal and/or a temperature of the filling material and/or a temperature change of the filling material and/or a change in the amplitude variation of the echo signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Stefan Gorenflo, Alexey Malinovskiy, Piotr Paczoski, Herbert Schroth, Dietmar Spanke, Mariusz Szwagrzyk
  • Patent number: 9170145
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the functioning of a field device, wherein the field device provides a complex measurement signal, which is produced from a number of individual measurements following one another in time, comprising method steps as follows: the complex measurement signals are stored within a predetermined time window; the occurrence of a predetermined event is monitored in the field device; the stored complex measurement signals are overwritten for the case, in which the predetermined event does not occur within the predetermined time window; for the case, in which the predetermined event occurs within the predetermined time window, both a first defined number of complex measurement signals, which were ascertained in time directly before the occurrence of the event, are frozen, as well as a second defined number of complex measurement signals, which were ascertained in time directly after the occurrence of the predetermined event, are stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Manfred Hammer, Dietmar Spanke, Herbert Schroth, Hans Germann, Lieselotte Germann, Michael Heim, Andreas Mayr, Andreas Moller
  • Publication number: 20150241315
    Abstract: A measuring device of process automation technology for measuring at least one process variable of a medium. A control unit is provided, which measures the process variable at least with a predeterminable clock rate and provides the result of such measurement as a measured value. Associated with the clock rate is an energy requirement of the measuring device, wherein a display/service unit is provided, which shows the measured value and/or enables servicing of, respectively parameter input to, the measuring device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventor: Dietmar Spanke
  • Patent number: 9081087
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining and/or evaluating the fill-state of a container filled with at least one medium, wherein high-frequency, electromagnetic, measuring signals are emitted by a fill-level measuring device and received back as wanted echos reflected at an interface of the media. The electromagnetic, measuring signals are received back as an end echo reflected at a measuring range end, wherein, from the received wanted echos and the end echo, an echo curve is formed as a function of travel-time and/or the travel-distance, wherein, by means of a search algorithm integrated in the fill-level measuring device, number, existence and/or position of individual wanted echos and of the end echo in the echo curve are/is ascertained and applied for classifying the currently present fill-state in the container relative to predetermined, stored, fill situations in the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: ENDRESS + HAUSER GMBH + CO. KG
    Inventors: Dietmar Spanke, Christian Reinau, Matthias Boldt, Alexey Malinovskiy, Simon Greth
  • Publication number: 20150192449
    Abstract: A method for determining and/or monitoring fill level of a medium in a container with a measuring device, which works according to the travel time measuring method, wherein measurement signals are transmitted toward the medium and are received, wherein from the high-frequency total measurement signal, composed by superimposing the transmitted measurement signals, the reflected wanted echo signals and the disturbance echo signals, a raw echo curve or digitized envelope curve is ascertained. The wanted echo signals and/or the disturbance echo signals in the raw echo curve or the digitized envelope curve are ascertained based on an ideal echo curve, which shows the amplitude of the echo signals of an ideal reflector as a function of the distance from the ideal reflector, and based on the ascertained wanted echo signal the fill level is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Alexey Malinovskiy, I, Stefan Gorenflo, Dietmar Spanke, Edgar Schmitt
  • Patent number: 8938741
    Abstract: An electronic device, and a method for executing a plurality of processes with the electronic device, wherein, in a resource-conserving manner, rapid response times are achievable, in that the electronic device, during operation, executes first and second processes (P1, P2), of which the first processes (P1) are executable as approximate solutions (P1-A) and as detailed calculations (P1-C). The electronic device includes a processor for executing processes (P1, P2) and an electronic unit or a multitasking-capable operating system. The electronic unit includes a component, which recognizes whether the processor is active, and serves, while the processor is active and a simultaneous execution of at least two processes is required, for executing the first processes (P1), in that it, itself, determines the approximate solution (P1-A) and sets such in the place of a detailed calculation (P1-C) determined with the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Dietmar Spanke, Stefan Maier, Martin Link
  • Publication number: 20140360264
    Abstract: A method for measuring fill level and a measuring device for performing the method, wherein, in measuring cycles following one after the other, signal pulses of predetermined frequency sent by means of a transmitting and receiving system with a predetermined repetition frequency into a container, and their signal components reflected back in the container in the direction of the transmitting and receiving system after a travel time dependent on their traveled path, are received as received signal. A fill level is measured taking into consideration a phase relationship between the transmitted and received signals related physically with the fill level to be measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Markus Vogel, Alexey Malinovskiy, Stefan Gorenflo, Dietmar Spanke
  • Patent number: 8683366
    Abstract: A field device is able to diagnose a broad spectrum of possible faults and/or states, and includes: structure for performing user defined, diagnostic methods; which has an input circuit, via which at least one input variable is fed to the structure; which has an evaluation unit, which serves for deriving, on the basis of at least one input variable selected by the user and at least one evaluating method selected by the user, at least one characterizing variable; which has a monitoring unit, which monitors the derived characterizing variables on the basis of monitoring criteria selected by the user; and which has an output unit, which, upon the meeting of a monitoring criterion, outputs a diagnosis associated with such monitoring criterion; and an interface, via which a user selects the input variables for each user defined diagnostic method, selects the evaluating methods to apply to the input variables, selects the monitoring criteria, and specifies the diagnosis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Manfred Hammer, Dietmar Spanke, Herbert Schroth
  • Patent number: 8639457
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining and monitoring the fill level of a medium in a container via a field device, wherein transmission signals are transmitted toward the medium and are received as reflection signals. The transmission signals and the reflection signals are registered by means of data points in an envelope curve dependent on travel time or travel distance. Disturbance echo signals are registered by means of data points in a masking curve, the data points are connected with one another via connecting functions An evaluation curve is ascertained from the envelope curve; wherein, by means of a reduction algorithm, the number of data points in the masking curve and/or in the evaluation curve is reduced; and wherein, by an echo search algorithm, by means of the reduced masking curve and/or reduced evaluation curve, at least one wanted echo signal in the current envelope curve is ascertained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Manfred Hammer, Alexey Malinovskiy, Edgar Schmitt, Herbert Schroth, Dietmar Spanke
  • Patent number: 8567243
    Abstract: A method for a fill level measurement in which a first and/or a second fill substance can be located. A rest position can be ascertained, when the entire amount of each fill substance in the container forms a single layer containing only this fill substance, wherein the first fill substance has a smaller specific weight than the second fill substance, and the two fill substances have different dielectric constants. An electromagnetic signal is sent into the container, wherein a part of the signal is reflected. A capacitance between a capacitive probe and a reference electrode is measured, dependent on the amounts of the fill substances located in the container, and, on the basis of the measured capacitance and the measured travel times for each fill substance present in the container, the rest position of its fill substance upper surface is ascertained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Alexey Malinovskiy, Herbert Schroth, Dietmar Spanke
  • Publication number: 20130207836
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining and monitoring fill level of a medium in a container using a travel time measuring method, wherein transmission signals are transmitted toward the medium and reflection signals are received. The received reflection signals are registered as echo signals in an echo function dependent on travel time. Based on known measuring device- and container-specific reflection planes, possible reflection regions in the echo function are calculated by means of an evaluation algorithm. In the calculated reflection regions, the disturbance echo signals and/or the multiecho signals in the echo function are classified, wherein non-classified reflection signals are ascertained and checked as wanted echo signals by means of a search algorithm, wherein, from a position and/or an amplitude of at least one wanted echo signal, fill level is determined, and wherein the measured value of fill level is output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Inventors: Edgar Schmitt, Dietmar Spanke
  • Patent number: 8311651
    Abstract: A process automation system for determining, monitoring and/or influencing different process variables and/or state variables in at least one manufacturing or analytical process. Included is: at least one control station; and a plurality of field devices; wherein in each field device at least one sensor is provided for ascertaining a measured value of a process variable and/or state variable and/or an actuator is provided for influencing a process variable and/or state variable by means of an actuating value. Each field device makes available its cyclically or acyclically ascertained, measuring-device-specific, measured values and/or actuating values of the process variable and/or state variable to every other field device of the process automation system as information, and the current information of all ascertained measured values and/or actuating values of the process variables and/or state variables is available to each field device as a current process-state-vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Dietmar Spanke, Detlev Wittmer, Dirk Boguhn, Jörg Herwig, Matthias Römer, Andreas Gommlich
  • Publication number: 20120265486
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining and monitoring fill level of a medium in a container by means of a field device with a travel time measuring method, wherein, in a learning phase, application- and device referenced test signals and response signals expected from a fill level upper surface are determined and, therefrom, application- and device referenced comparison signals are ascertained, wherein, in an operational phase, test signals are transmitted toward the medium and application- and device referenced, response signals are received, as well as, by means of a comparison algorithm, the comparison signals are compared with the response signals and a value for an agreement probability is ascertained, and wherein, upon exceeding the ascertained value of the agreement probability above a predetermined limit value, the fill level is ascertained and outputted as a measured value and/or, in the case of subceeding, or falling beneath, the predetermined limit value, a new test signal is transmitted for renewed ascertainin
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Peter Klofer, Winfried Mayer, Dietmar Spanke
  • Patent number: 8276444
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining and monitoring fill level of a medium in a container a field device using a travel time, measuring method, wherein transmission signals are transmitted and reflection signals received. The received reflection signals are registered as echo signals in an echo function, wherein masking curve, evaluation curves and/or echo parameters of the echo signals in the echo function are ascertained or predetermined, as well as stored in a first measuring cycle. By a static echo search algorithm, through the masking curve, the evaluation curve, the echo parameters, position and/or amplitude of at least one wanted echo signal are/is ascertained, wherein, a dynamic echo search algorithm, a continuous echo tracking of positional changes and/or amplitude changes of individual echo signals and/or the wanted echo signal in the echo function is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Alexey Malinovskiy, Edgar Schmitt, Dietmar Spanke
  • Patent number: 8223035
    Abstract: A method for start-up and/or operation of a communication system composed of at least one multivariable sensor, at least one converter unit and at least one receiving unit, which are connected with one another via a two-wire line. A wherein a primary measured value in the form of an analog signal and extra measured values in the form of an encoded digital signal modulated on the analog signal are provided from the multivariable sensor via the two-wire line, wherein only analog signals are received by the receiving unit. The extra measured values are scaled in the multivariable sensor into formatted values by means of a conversion algorithm, wherein at least the formatted values are requested and received by the converter unit, and wherein corresponding analog signals of the extra measured values are produced from the formatted values in the converter unit by a fixedly predetermined, unconfigurable, reconversion algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Dietmar Spanke, Michael Heim, Martin Link
  • Publication number: 20120158363
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the functioning of a field device, wherein the field device provides a complex measurement signal, which is produced from a number of individual measurements following one another in time, comprising method steps as follows: the complex measurement signals are stored within a predetermined time window; the occurrence of a predetermined event is monitored in the field device; the stored complex measurement signals are overwritten for the case, in which the predetermined event does not occur within the predetermined time window; for the case, in which the predetermined event occurs within the predetermined time window, both a first defined number of complex measurement signals, which were ascertained in time directly before the occurrence of the event, are frozen, as well as a second defined number of complex measurement signals, which were ascertained in time directly after the occurrence of the predetermined event, are stored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Manfred Hammer, Dietmar Spanke, Herbert Schroth, Hans Germann, Michael Heim, Andreas Mayr, Andreas Möller
  • Publication number: 20120130509
    Abstract: A method and a system for adjusting a measuring device. The measuring device, determines the physical or chemical process variable based on measurement data; an analytical tool, ascertains the analytical data from the measurement data; a database, in which data sets with analytical data for different process conditions and associated parameter sets for adjusting the measuring device are stored, or in which a plurality of models with associated calculational specifications are stored, which produce the analytical data; and a calculation/control unit, which compares the ascertained analytical data with the stored analytical data, ascertains that data set of the stored analytical data, which has maximum agreement with the ascertained analytical data and adjusts the measuring device corresponding to the associated parameter set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Matthias Altendorf, Peter Klöfer, Dietmar Spanke
  • Patent number: 8159386
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining and monitoring fill level of a medium in a container by means of a field device by a travel time measuring method, wherein transmission signals are transmitted in the direction of the medium and reflection signals are received, wherein received reflection signals are registered as echo signals in an echo function dependent on travel time or travel distance, wherein position and/or amplitude at least of a wanted echo signal in the echo function are/is ascertained by means of an echo search algorithm and a continuous echo tracking of changes of position and/or of changes of amplitude of the wanted echo signal in the echo function is performed in a defined search window, wherein position and/or amplitude at least of a wanted echo signal is maintained, in case no wanted echo signal is ascertained in the search window, wherein from position and/or amplitude at least of a wanted echo signal, fill level is ascertained, and wherein a measured value of fill level is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Alexey Malinovskiy, Dietmar Spanke, Edgar Schmitt, Steffen Markoni, Simon Greth, Klaus Pankratz, Stefan Gorenflo