The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 12, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 09, 1997
Charles Crawford, Wall, PA (US);
Vincent Ferri, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Robert D Dimsa, Elizabeth, PA (US);
Gary Bailey, Baden, PA (US);
Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, PA (US);
Abstract
Method and apparatus for providing a filtered signal which indicates of a flow of fluid to a fluid pressure communication conduit, the flow being dependent upon the pressure of fluid in a chamber. The pressure in the chamber is controlled by one or more pressure adjusting valves. The invention provides for receiving into a data processing module one or more valve signals indicating open states of the pressure adjusting valve or valves, and also a flowrate signal from a flowrate sensor, which represents the real instantaneous flowrate, and it is this signal which needs to be filtered to remove transients. The invention provides for choosing between a first processing mode and a second processing mode for the flowrate signal. The first processing mode is used when the second processing mode is not in effect, and when neither of the valve signals indicates an open valve. The second processing mode is activated a valve signal indicates an open valve. The second processing mode, when activated, proceeds according to a predetermined procedure and then returns to the first processing mode after no valve signal indicates an open valve. The signal is processed by either the first processing mode or the second processing mode, depending on whether valve signals have been received, and provides the filtered signal as an output to equipment external to the data processing module.