Patents by Inventor Ruth Bernhard

Ruth Bernhard 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).

  • Method and device for determining the moisture content and conductivity in the ground and in bulk materials
    Patent number: 7126352
    Abstract: In a method and device for determining the moisture content and conductivity in the ground and in bulk materials, a capacitive sensor is disposed in the ground or the bulk material, the sensor is charged from a constant external voltage supply with a given initial current from a given first voltage threshold value to a given second voltage threshold value and either a voltage/time diagram is determined or a first charging time required for charging the sensor from the first to the second voltage threshold values by the constant external voltage supply is determined and a second charging time is determined wherein either the initial current and/or at least one of the two voltage threshold values are altered and the water content and the conductivity are determined by verification of the two charging times or of the voltage/time diagram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: GSF - Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit GmbH
    Inventor: Ruth Bernhard
  • Method and device for determining the moisture content and conductivity in the ground and in bulk materials
    Publication number: 20050212532
    Abstract: In a method and device for determining the moisture content and conductivity in the ground and in bulk materials, a capacitive sensor is disposed in the ground or the bulk material, the sensor is charged from a constant external voltage supply with a given initial current from a given first voltage threshold value to a given second voltage threshold value and either a voltage/time diagram is determined or a first charging time required for charging the sensor from the first to the second voltage threshold values by the constant external voltage supply is determined and a second charging time is determined wherein either the initial current and/or at least one of the two voltage threshold values are altered and the water content and the conductivity are determined by verification of the two charging times or of the voltage/time diagram.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventor: Ruth Bernhard