US3822377A — Parameter compensating circuit for flow meter

Claim 1

Independent Claim 248 words

A method of (1) metering the volumetric flow of a fluid, wherein the flow is represented by a pulse train having a frequency corresponding to the fluid flow rate, and of (2) normalizing said frequency to a predetermined reference parameter to compensate for gravimetric changes in said fluid, wherein the steps comprise: a. dividing said pulse train into two subtrains; b. applying the output of one of said subtrains to an ''''N'''' stage binary divider; c. electronically comparing the corresponding parameter of said fluid to said predetermined reference parameter; d. generating an analog voltage that is proportional to the algebraic difference between said parameters; e. applying said analog voltage to an N stage analog-to-digital converter; f. applying the stage-by-stage output of said converter to each of the corresponding output stages of said binary divider; g. permitting a portion of the pulses of the output of said binary divider to pass to the other of said two pulse subtrains, such that the total of (i) the passed pulses and (ii) the pulses comprising said other subtrain, equals 100% of the number of pulses in the initial pulse train, said 100% occurring when said algebraic difference equals zero; and h. allowing additonal pulses of said divider to be either passed or inhibited in a quantity directly proportional to the relative respective positive or negative polarity of said algebraic difference between said parameters, thereby obtaining a total pulse output having a frequency that is gravimetrically compensated to the predetermined reference parameter.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 248 words

A method of (1) metering the volumetric flow of a fluid, wherein the flow is represented by a pulse train having a frequency corresponding to the fluid flow rate, and of (2) normalizing said frequency to a predetermined reference parameter to compensate for gravimetric changes in said fluid, wherein the steps comprise: a. dividing said pulse train into two subtrains; b. applying the output of one of said subtrains to an ''''N'''' stage binary divider; c. electronically comparing the corresponding parameter of said fluid to said predetermined reference parameter; d. generating an analog voltage that is proportional to the algebraic difference between said parameters; e. applying said analog voltage to an N stage analog-to-digital converter; f. applying the stage-by-stage output of said converter to each of the corresponding output stages of said binary divider; g. permitting a portion of the pulses of the output of said binary divider to pass to the other of said two pulse subtrains, such that the total of (i) the passed pulses and (ii) the pulses comprising said other subtrain, equals 100% of the number of pulses in the initial pulse train, said 100% occurring when said algebraic difference equals zero; and h. allowing additonal pulses of said divider to be either passed or inhibited in a quantity directly proportional to the relative respective positive or negative polarity of said algebraic difference between said parameters, thereby obtaining a total pulse output having a frequency that is gravimetrically compensated to the predetermined reference parameter.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method as recited in claim 1 in which said method further comprises: continually restarting said analog-to-digital converter.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 60 words

The method as recited in claim 1 in which said electronic comparing is accomplished by: a. disposing a parameter-dependent resistive element within said fluid; b. converting the output of said element to a voltage, thereby forming a parameter-dependent voltage; c. generating a reference voltage corresponding to said reference parameter; and d. algebraically adding said reference voltage into said parameter-dependent voltage.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method as recited in claim 3 in which said converting step comprises: passing an electric current of constant magnitude through said resistive element.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method as recited in claim 1 in which said dividing step comprises: feeding said pulse train into a decade divider having at least two outputs.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method as recited in claim 1 in which said applying step (f) comprises: a. differentiating the stage-by-stage output of said binary counter; b. inverting said output; c. inverting the stage-by-stage output of said converter; and d. algebraically adding inverted output to said inverted binary output.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method as recited in claim 1 in which said step (a) is preceded by the step of: multiplying said pulse train.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 262 words

A system for (1) metering the volumetric flow of a fluid wherein the flow is represented by a pulse train having a frequency corresponding to the flow rate, and (2) normalizing said frequency to a predetermined reference parameter in order to compensate for gravimetric change in said fluid, comprising: a. means for dividing said pulse train into two pulse subtrains; b. an N stage binary divider having as its input the output of one of said subtrains; c. means for electronically comparing the corresponding parameter of said fluid with said predetermined reference parameter; d. means for generating an analog voltage that is proportional to the algebraic difference between said parameters; e. an N stage analog-to-digital converter having said analog voltage as its input; f. means for applying the stage-by-stage output of said converter to each of the corresponding output stages of said binary divider; g. means for permitting a portion of the pulses of the output of said binary divider to pass to the other of said two pulse subtrains, such that the total of (i) the passed pulses and (ii) the pulses comprising said other subtrain, equals 100% of the number of pulses in the initial pulse train, said 100% occurring when said algebraic difference equals zero; and h. means for allowing additional pulses of said divider to be either passed or inhibited in a quantity directly proportional to the relative respective positive or negative polarity of said algebraic difference between said parameters, thereby obtaining a total pulse output having a frequency that is gravimetrically compensated to the predetermined reference parameter.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 262 words

A system for (1) metering the volumetric flow of a fluid wherein the flow is represented by a pulse train having a frequency corresponding to the flow rate, and (2) normalizing said frequency to a predetermined reference parameter in order to compensate for gravimetric change in said fluid, comprising: a. means for dividing said pulse train into two pulse subtrains; b. an N stage binary divider having as its input the output of one of said subtrains; c. means for electronically comparing the corresponding parameter of said fluid with said predetermined reference parameter; d. means for generating an analog voltage that is proportional to the algebraic difference between said parameters; e. an N stage analog-to-digital converter having said analog voltage as its input; f. means for applying the stage-by-stage output of said converter to each of the corresponding output stages of said binary divider; g. means for permitting a portion of the pulses of the output of said binary divider to pass to the other of said two pulse subtrains, such that the total of (i) the passed pulses and (ii) the pulses comprising said other subtrain, equals 100% of the number of pulses in the initial pulse train, said 100% occurring when said algebraic difference equals zero; and h. means for allowing additional pulses of said divider to be either passed or inhibited in a quantity directly proportional to the relative respective positive or negative polarity of said algebraic difference between said parameters, thereby obtaining a total pulse output having a frequency that is gravimetrically compensated to the predetermined reference parameter.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 20 words

The system as recited in claim 8 in which said system further comprises means for continually restarting said analog-to-digital converter.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 70 words

The system as recited in claim 8 in which said means for electronically comparing comprises: a. a parameter-dependent resistive element disposed in said fluid; b. means for converting the output of said element into a voltage in order to generate a parameter-dependent voltage; c. means for generating a reference voltage corresponding in magnitude to said reference parameter; and d. means for algebraically adding said reference voltage to said parameter-dependent voltage.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 22 words

The system as recited in claim 8 in which said means for dividing comprises a decade divider having at least two outputs.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 39 words

The system as recited in claim 8 in which said applying means comprises: a. means for differentiating the stage-by-stage output of said binary divider; and b. means for gating said differentiated outputs with the stage-by-stage outputs of said converter.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 51 words

The system as recited in claim 12 in which said gating means comprises: a. means for inverting said differentiated output; b. means for inverting the stage-by-stage output of such converter; and c. means for algebraically adding each of said inverted converter outputs to each corresponding inverted output of said binary divider.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-07-01	1977-12-31	1978-07-02	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-07-01	1981-12-31	1982-07-02	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-07-01	1985-12-31	1986-07-02	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Parameter compensating circuit for flow meter

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