Apparatus and system for determining, optimizing or monitoring at least one process variable

Abstract

An apparatus for determining or monitoring at least one process variable which comprises a sensor element, measuring electronics, at least one control/evaluating/calculating unit arranged removed from the measuring unit and/or an in/output unit arranged removed from the measuring unit and the control/evaluating/calculating unit. The control/evaluating/calculating unit and the in/output unit are connected with the measuring unit via a first interface, respectively a second interface, wherein the measuring electronics operates the sensor element and forwards the measurement signals via the interfaces to the control/evaluating/calculating unit as unprocessed, raw, measured values, and wherein the control/evaluating/calculating unit arranged removed from the measuring unit determines, improves and/or monitors the process variable based on the raw, measured values and makes such available via the in/output unit.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for determining or monitoring at least one process variable, comprising:
 a sensor element;   measuring electronics;   at least one control/evaluating/calculating unit arranged removed from said measuring unit; and/or   an in/output unit arranged removed from said measuring unit and said control/evaluating/calculating unit, wherein:   said control/evaluating/calculating unit and said in/output unit are connected with said measuring unit via a first interface, respectively a second interface;   said measuring electronics operates said sensor element and forwards the measurement signals via said interfaces to said control/evaluating/calculating unit as unprocessed, raw, measured value; and   said control/evaluating/calculating unit arranged removed from said measuring unit determines, improves and/or monitors the process variable based on the raw, measured values and makes such available via said in/output unit.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein:
 said measuring electronics is implemented on an FPGA chip or on a dynamically reconfigurable FPGA chip or on an ASIC or on a memory chip.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein:
 said control/evaluating/calculating unit is implemented on an FPGA chip or on a dynamically reconfigurable FPGA chip or on an ASIC or on a memory chip.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein:
 in the case of application of a dynamically reconfigurable FPGA chip a permanently configured region is provided, in which a microprocessor is permanently configured.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein:
 said control/evaluating/calculating unit is implemented as one of: a handheld device, or a computer and a transportable service unit.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein:
 said handheld device is a smart phone or a smart pad or a transportable service unit; and   the software for said control/evaluating/calculating unit is downloadable from a server as a function of said respective measuring unit as apps or as an application oriented, software unit.   
     
     
         17 . A system, comprising: a plurality of apparatuses for determining or monitoring at least one process variable, comprising: a sensor element; measuring electronics; at least one control/evaluating/calculating unit arranged removed from said measuring unit; and/or an in/output unit arranged removed from said measuring unit and said control/evaluating/calculating unit, wherein: said control/evaluating/calculating unit and said in/output unit are connected with said measuring unit via a first interface, respectively a second interface; said measuring electronics operates said sensor element and forwards the measurement signals via said interfaces to said control/evaluating/calculating unit as unprocessed, raw, measured value; and said control/evaluating/calculating unit arranged removed from said measuring unit determines, improves and/or monitors the process variable based on the raw, measured values and makes such available via said in/output unit; wherein:
 a plurality of measuring units are connected with said control/evaluating/calculating unit via corresponding communication connections and   said control/evaluating/calculating unit, using corresponding evaluating hardware and/or evaluating software, further processes raw, measured values delivered from said different measuring units and determines, improves and/or monitors the corresponding process variable.   
     
     
         18 . The system as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein:
 said communication connections are wired connections and/or wireless connections.   
     
     
         19 . The system as claimed in  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a database, in which are stored a plurality of data sets with raw, measured values of different measuring units and/or with further processed, raw, measured values of the different measuring units;   the data sets reflect raw, measured values and/or further processed, raw, measured values, which have been ascertained as a function of different process- and/or device conditions in different applications directly or by simulation; and   associated with each data set with raw, measured values and/or further processed, raw, measured values is a parameter set, which provides an optimized adjusting of the corresponding measuring unit and/or said control/evaluating/calculating unit as a function of defined process- and/or device conditions.   
     
     
         20 . The system as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein:
 added value is achieved in the form of an enrichment of information, know how and measurement data;   the added value rests on the information delivered from said transportable service units based on the software for said control/evaluating/calculating unit as a function of said individual measuring units, on which the apps, respectively the application oriented, software units, work.