Patents by Inventor Felix Mullis

Felix Mullis 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: 20230127344
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a measurement cell assembly for determining a pressure in a pressure cell (2) are given, wherein the method consists in that a measurement signal (x) is determined, which is at least proportional to a measured pressure in the pressure cell (2), and in that the measurement signal (x) is filtered by means of a first filter unit (10) having a low-pass characteristic in order to produce an output signal (y), wherein the low-pass characteristics of the first filter unit (10) is defined by means of a first damping factor (?1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventor: Felix MULLIS
  • Patent number: 11029175
    Abstract: Method for determining a pressure in a pressure cell, the method consisting in determining a measuring signal (x) that is at least proportional to a measured pressure in the pressure cell, generating an output signal (y) from the measuring signal (x) using a filter unit (10) comprising a transfer function by at least reducing, preferably eliminating, a noise signal contained in the measuring signal determining a change over time of the measuring signal (x), and setting the transfer function as a function of the change over time of the measuring signal (x). A measuring cell arrangement is also specified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: INFICON AG
    Inventor: Felix Mullis
  • Patent number: 10082436
    Abstract: Method for processing a measurement signal (x) from a pressure measurement cell in order to generate an output signal (y) with the aid of a filter unit (10), wherein the method involves generating the output signal (y) with the aid of the filter unit (10) by at least reducing, preferably eliminating, a noise signal contained in the measurement signal (x), continuously determining a difference between the measurement signal (x) and the output signal (y), and changing a characteristic of the filter unit (10) as soon as the difference becomes greater than a threshold value, wherein the changed characteristic of the filter unit (10) remains as long as the difference becomes smaller than the threshold value, and wherein the changing of the filter characteristic involves decreasing the reduction in the noise signal present in the measurement signal (x).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: INFICON GMBH
    Inventor: Felix Mullis
  • Publication number: 20180259360
    Abstract: Method for determining a pressure in a pressure cell, wherein the method consists in the fact that a measuring signal (x) is determined, which is at least proportional to a measured pressure in the pressure cell, that an output signal (y) is produced from the measuring signal (x) using a filter unit (10) having a transfer function, in that a noise signal contained in the measuring signal is at least reduced, and preferably eliminated, that a time change of the measuring signal (x) is determined, and that the transfer function is set in a function of the time change of the measuring signal (x). In addition, a measuring cell arrangement is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventor: Felix MULLIS
  • Patent number: 9791339
    Abstract: Arrangement with capacitive pressure-measuring cell has a diaphragm for measuring vacuum pressure and a printed circuit board acting as a temperature sensor and another electronic component designed as a microchip that contains a digital signal processor with a temperature-to-digital converter and a capacitance-to-digital converter using a time measuring method. The converters determine temperature and capacitance of the cell in comparison to a reference resistor for temperature arranged on the printed circuit board and reference capacitor for capacitance for the pressure to be measured dependent on deformation of the diaphragm. A temperature-corrected pressure signal derived from the two measured signals uses correlation, the measured signals having been determined in advance from a calibration process, and the temperature-corrected pressure signal is provided as a pressure signal at the signal output for further processing. In this manner there is quick pressure measurement with high measuring accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: INFICON AG
    Inventors: Felix Mullis, Martin Wuest
  • Publication number: 20160341618
    Abstract: Method for processing a measurement signal (x) from a pressure measurement cell in order to generate an output signal (y) with the aid of a filter unit (10), wherein the method involves generating the output signal (y) with the aid of the filter unit (10) by at least reducing, preferably eliminating, a noise signal contained in the measurement signal (x), continuously determining a difference between the measurement signal (x) and the output signal (y), and changing a characteristic of the filter unit (10) as soon as the difference becomes greater than a threshold value, wherein the changed characteristic of the filter unit (10) remains as long as the difference becomes smaller than the threshold value, and wherein the changing of the filter characteristic involves decreasing the reduction in the noise signal present in the measurement signal (x).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventor: Felix MULLIS
  • Publication number: 20150346044
    Abstract: Arrangement with capacitive pressure-measuring cell has a diaphragm for measuring vacuum pressure and a printed circuit board acting as a temperature sensor and another electronic component designed as a microchip that contains a digital signal processor with a temperature-to-digital converter and a capacitance-to-digital converter using a time measuring method. The converters determine temperature and capacitance of the cell in comparison to a reference resistor for temperature arranged on the printed circuit board and reference capacitor for capacitance for the pressure to be measured dependent on deformation of the diaphragm. A temperature-corrected pressure signal derived from the two measured signals uses correlation, the measured signals having been determined in advance from a calibration process, and the temperature-corrected pressure signal is provided as a pressure signal at the signal output for further processing. In this manner there is quick pressure measurement with high measuring accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicant: INFICON AG
    Inventors: Felix MULLIS, Martin WUEST
  • Patent number: 7728984
    Abstract: For evaluation of a measured parameter with a measuring cell having a cavity which generates for light an optical path length difference changing corresponding to the variation of the measured parameter, the method includes: introducing light from a white light source with the aid of an optical waveguide via a coupler (3) disposed in the path of the optical waveguide into the cavity, coupling out at least a portion of the light reflected back into the optical waveguide from the cavity with the aid of the coupler and conducting this reflected light to an optical spectrometer, determining the optical spectrum of the reflected light in the spectrometer and generating a spectrometer signal, conducting the spectrometer signal to a computing unit, wherein the spectrometer signal is directly converted through the computing unit to an interferogram and from its intensity progression the location of the particular extremal amplitude value is determined and this particular location represents directly the particular va
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Inficon GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Waegli, Felix Mullis
  • Patent number: 7707891
    Abstract: A pressure measuring cell has a first housing body and a membrane arranged proximate the housing body, both of ceramic. The membrane has a peripheral edge joined to the first housing body to create a reference pressure chamber. A second housing body made of ceramic material is opposite the membrane and is joined to the peripheral edge of the membrane, the second housing body together with the membrane forming a measurement pressure chamber. The second housing body has a port for connecting the pressure measuring cell to a medium to be measured. The first housing body, the second housing body and the membrane are tightly connected along the peripheral edge of the membrane in a central area of the first housing body a hole is formed, reaching through the first housing body and at least in the central region of the membrane and opposite the hole a surface of the membrane is formed as a first optically reflective area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Inficon GmbH
    Inventors: Jarkko Antila, Dietmar Bertsch, Felix Mullis, Martin Wüest
  • Publication number: 20090320605
    Abstract: A pressure measuring cell has a first housing body and a membrane arranged proximate the housing body, both of ceramic. The membrane has a peripheral edge joined to the first housing body to create a reference pressure chamber. A second housing body made of ceramic material is opposite the membrane and is joined to the peripheral edge of the membrane, the second housing body together with the membrane forming a measurement pressure chamber. The second housing body has a port for connecting the pressure measuring cell to a medium to be measured. The first housing body, the second housing body and the membrane are tightly connected along the peripheral edge of the membrane in a central area of the first housing body a hole is formed, reaching through the first housing body and at least in the central region of the membrane and opposite the hole a surface of the membrane is formed as a first optically reflective area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Jarkko Antila, Dietmar Bertsch, Felix Mullis, Martin Wuest
  • Publication number: 20090219542
    Abstract: For evaluation of a measured parameter with a measuring cell having a cavity which generates for light an optical path length difference changing corresponding to the variation of the measured parameter, the method includes: introducing light from a white light source with the aid of an optical waveguide via a coupler (3) disposed in the path of the optical waveguide into the cavity, coupling out at least a portion of the light reflected back into the optical waveguide from the cavity with the aid of the coupler and conducting this reflected light to an optical spectrometer, determining the optical spectrum of the reflected light in the spectrometer and generating a spectrometer signal, conducting the spectrometer signal to a computing unit, wherein the spectrometer signal is directly converted through the computing unit to an interferogram and from its intensity progression the location of the particular extremal amplitude value is determined and this particular location represents directly the particular va
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Inventors: Peter Waegli, Felix Mullis
  • Patent number: 7105080
    Abstract: Method for manufacturing a workpiece by a vacuum treatment process includes providing a vacuum treatment system with first second parts in a vacuum chamber. Either a sensor or an adjusting element with first signal connection is mounted on the second part. An electronic unit in the chamber has a reference potential and a second electric signal connection. The first part is connected to a system reference potential. A workpiece goes into the chamber and the method includes operating the second part at a further electric potential different from the system reference potential by at least 12 V. The method includes connecting the first electric signal connection to the second electric signal connection and maintaining the reference connection during operation on the further electric potential by metallically connecting the reference connection to the second part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: OC Oerlikon Balzers AG
    Inventor: Felix Mullis
  • Publication number: 20030098231
    Abstract: Method for manufacturing a workpiece by a vacuum treatment process includes providing a vacuum treatment system with first second parts in a vacuum chamber. Either a sensor or an adjusting element with first signal connection is mounted on the second part. An electronic unit in the chamber has a reference potential and a second electric signal connection. The first part is connected to a system reference potential. A workpiece goes into the chamber and the method includes operating the second part at a further electric potential different from the system reference potential by at least 12 V. The method includes connecting the first electric signal connection to the second electric signal connection and maintaining the reference connection during operation on the further electric potential by metallically connecting the reference connection to the second part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Publication date: May 29, 2003
    Applicant: Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Felix Mullis
  • Patent number: 6527927
    Abstract: A vacuum treatment system in which a part (9) is provided inside a vacuum treatment chamber (1). A potential (&phgr;9) which deviates from the system reference potential (&phgr;0) by approximately at least ±12 V is applied to said part. A sensor and/or an actuator (11) is/are arranged on said part. In addition, the invention comprises an electronic unit (13) which is connected to the sensor and/or actuator. Processing signals on the unit (13) is considerably simplified in that the electronic unit (13) is operated as a reference potential on the potential (&phgr;9) of said part (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Felix Mullis