Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Gerd Hein

Egid Schneider

Georg Kuderewski

Thorsten Niemann

Marc-Oliver Bönig

A method for querying a measurement value, wherein the measurement value is converted into a modulation signal that influences the reflective properties of a sensor antenna. A signal is emitted via a query device, wherein the signal is returned in an altered fashion by the sensor antenna and then received again by the query device. The measurement value is determined from the altered signal received. According to at least one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of measurement values are detected by sensors and the query device is moved past a plurality of sensor antennas in a vehicle or by a person. Thus, a plurality of sensors detect measurement values on a railroad line, for example. The vehicle is, for example, a rail vehicle traveling on the track of the railroad line.

Method for querying a measurement value

A method and apparatus are for balancing capacitors in a capacitor bank. Three voltage levels are produced by a reference voltage source, to monitor the state of charge of the capacitors. The capacitor voltage on each capacitor is determined and is compared with the voltage levels. After the charging of the capacitors, normal operation starts when the capacitor voltage reaches the lowest voltage level and before it has reached the central voltage level. A balancing operation starts when the capacitor voltages of all the capacitors have reached the central voltage level, and ends when the capacitor voltage of all the capacitors has once again reached the lowest voltage level. When the lowest voltage level is reached once again, normal operation starts again. A fault is indicated upon reaching the highest voltage level.

Method and apparatus for balancing capacitors in a capacitor bank

A power supply arrangement (2) with a first controlled power output (12) and a second controlled output (26) also has a controlled backup output (16) which is connected by means of a buffered bus with several read/write memories (8) of a computer (4). The read/write memories (8) of the computer (4) can be switched over to a stand-by mode in case of a power failure and connected with a backup battery (20). In accordance with the invention, the read/write memories (8) are switched during normal network operation to an active operating mode connected by means of a low-impedance switch (34) with the controlled power output (12). The low-impedance switch (34) is controlled by means of a switching signal (U.sub.S1). The backup battery (20) is connected with the controlled backup output (16) via a second switch (46) and a series controller (48).

Growing community of inventors

Herzogenaurach, Germany

Gerd Hein