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:
Nov. 08, 2016
Filed:
Mar. 14, 2014
Applicant:
Hitachi Metals, Ltd., Minato-Ku Tokyo, JP;
Inventors:
Alexei V. Smirnov, Fort Collins, CO (US);
Arun Nagarajan, San Bruno, CA (US);
Assignee:
Hitachi Metals, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01F 25/00 (2006.01); G05D 7/06 (2006.01); G01F 1/684 (2006.01); G01F 5/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01F 25/0007 (2013.01); G05D 7/0635 (2013.01); G01F 1/684 (2013.01); G01F 5/00 (2013.01);
Abstract
Mass flow controllers with on-tool diagnostic capabilities and methods for on-tool diagnosis of mass flow controllers are disclosed herein. One disclosed method includes providing current to two heating-sensing elements of a mass flow sensor and modifying current through at least one of the heating-sensing elements. Reference data is obtained that characterizes proper operation of the mass flow sensor, and one or more flow sensor signals from the mass flow sensor are analyzed in connection with the reference data to assess whether the mass flow sensor is operating properly.