Patents by Inventor Roberto Lugli

Roberto Lugli 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: 11913976
    Abstract: A field device having a safe interface is based on two voltage regulators designed to set electrical current between corresponding contacts of the interface. The field device tests via which of the contacts the field device is connected with a superordinate unit and an automatic configuration of the interface can be performed for the appropriate transmission standard. Because the contacting to the superordinated unit is checked repetitively by means of two electrical current regulators it is assured that the field device can determine and automatically react to a change of the contacting at the interface even during measurement operation. This makes the interface safe and thereby increases the safety of the process plant, in which the field device is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser Wetzer GmbH+Co. KG
    Inventors: Björn Walser, Roberto Lugli, Michael Schnalke, Fabian Schmölz
  • Publication number: 20220334149
    Abstract: A field device having a safe interface is based on two voltage regulators designed to set electrical current between corresponding contacts of the interface. The field device tests via which of the contacts the field device is connected with a superordinate unit and an automatic configuration of the interface can be performed for the appropriate transmission standard. Because the contacting to the superordinated unit is checked repetitively by means of two electrical current regulators it is assured that the field device can determine and automatically react to a change of the contacting at the interface even during measurement operation. This makes the interface safe and thereby increases the safety of the process plant, in which the field device is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Björn Walser, Roberto Lugli, Michael Schnalke, Fabian Schmölz
  • Publication number: 20220260960
    Abstract: An automation field device comprises at least four connection pins for connecting the field device; a field device electronics adapted, in a first operating state, to provide a 4-20 mA signal via a first and second connection pin , in a second operating state, to be supplied with a supply voltage via the first and a third connection pin and via a fourth connection pin to enable an IO-Link communication or to provide a first switch output and supplementally to provide a second switch output on the second connection pin, and, in a third operating state, to be supplied with the supply voltage via the first and third connection pins and via the fourth connection pin to enable the IO-Link communication or to provide the first switch output and supplementally to provide a 4-20 mA current output on the second connection pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Simon Gerwig, Christian Strittmatter, Roberto Lugli
  • Patent number: 10289135
    Abstract: Control electronics for a two-wire process device, which two-wire process device can be connected to a two-wire loop. The control electronics comprises an input circuit and a control unit connected to the input circuit, wherein the input circuit is used in a first operating mode to set a current and/or voltage in the two-wire loop by means of a control signal transmitted by the control unit. The input circuit is used in a second operating mode to automatically, in particular independently of the control unit or independently of the control signal transmitted by the control unit, to set the current and/or the electric voltage in the two-wire loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: ENDRESS + HAUSER WETZER GMBH + CO. KG
    Inventors: Roberto Lugli, Michael Korn
  • Patent number: 10209143
    Abstract: A thermo wire testing circuit, comprising: a current source terminal for supplying a test current to a first thermo wire via a first terminal during a test mode; a current drain terminal for receiving the test current from a second thermo wire via a second terminal during the test mode; a reference resistor for generating a reference voltage, which reference resistor is arranged in the current circuit of the test current; and a processing unit coupleable to the first and second terminals and to the reference resistor, and configured to compare a voltage drop caused by said test current between the first and second terminal with the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: ENDRESS + HAUSER WETZER GMBH + CO. KG
    Inventor: Roberto Lugli
  • Publication number: 20160273976
    Abstract: A thermo wire testing circuit, comprising: a current source terminal for supplying a test current to a first thermo wire via a first terminal during a test mode; a current drain terminal for receiving the test current from a second thermo wire via a second terminal during the test mode; a reference resistor for generating a reference voltage, which reference resistor is arranged in the current circuit of the test current; and a processing unit coupleable to the first and second terminals and to the reference resistor, and configured to compare a voltage drop caused by said test current between the first and second terminal with the reference voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventor: Roberto Lugli
  • Publication number: 20150338860
    Abstract: Control electronics (E) for a two-wire process device, which two-wire process device can be connected to a two-wire loop (2L), wherein the control electronics (E) comprises an input circuit (ES) and a control unit connected to the input circuit (ES), wherein the input circuit (ES) is used in a first operating mode to set a current and/or voltage in the two-wire loop (2L) by means of a control signal (CS) transmitted by the control unit (SE), wherein the input circuit (ES) is used in a second operating mode to automatically, in particular independently of the control unit (SE) or independently of the control signal (CS) transmitted by the control unit (SE), to set the current and/or the electric voltage in the two-wire loop (2L).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Roberto Lugli, Michael Korn
  • Patent number: 8988261
    Abstract: A delta-sigma D/A converter, by which a digital valued, input signal is convertible into a binary, clock signal time discrete, output signal. By forming an average value of the output signal over a number of clock signal cycles, an analog value of the input signal can be displayed. The delta-sigma D/A converter is embodied in such a manner that, in use, it provides the output signal by serial arrangement of signal patterns of a set of signal patterns, wherein the signal patterns of the set are, in each case, binary, clock signal time discrete and extend over a signal pattern cycles total of a plurality of clock cycles. At least two signal patterns of the set have mutually different signal pattern average values, which are formed over the respective signal pattern cycles total, and all signal patterns of the set have, in each case, essentially the same number, especially exactly the same number, of edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Wetzer GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Roberto Lugli, Michael Korn, Alfred Zotz, Stephan Damith
  • Publication number: 20130234872
    Abstract: A delta-sigma D/A converter, by which a digital valued, input signal is convertible into a binary, clock signal time discrete, output signal. By forming an average value of the output signal over a number of clock signal cycles, an analog value of the input signal can be displayed. The delta-sigma D/A converter is embodied in such a manner that, in use, it provides the output signal by serial arrangement of signal patterns of a set of signal patterns, wherein the signal patterns of the set are, in each case, binary, clock signal time discrete and extend over a signal pattern cycles total of a plurality of clock cycles. At least two signal patterns of the set have mutually different signal pattern average values, which are formed over the respective signal pattern cycles total, and all signal patterns of the set have, in each case, essentially the same number, especially exactly the same number, of edges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Wetzer GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Roberto Lugli, Michael Korn, Alfred Zotz, Stephan Damith