Thomas D Sharp

US Patent:

6378354, Apr 30, 2002

Filed:

Jul 21, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/620750

Inventors:

Thomas Dean Sharp - Terrace Park OH

Assignee:

Micro Motion, Inc. - Boulder CO

International Classification:

G01F 184

US Classification:

73 116

Abstract:

A system for calibrating a drive signal applied to a driver affixed to a conduit to cause the driver to apply a force that vibrates the conduit in a desired mode of vibration. The calibration is completed by first developing a mathematical model of the apparatus and then using the model to mathematically calculate a proper drive signal voltage. The development of a model of the dynamics and calculation of the drive signal voltage are completed by vibrating the conduit, measuring the vibrations of the conduit, detecting physical characteristics of the apparatus from the measured vibrations, and determining a drive signal that causes the driver to oscillate the conduit in a desired mode of vibration responsive to determining the physical characteristics of the apparatus.

US Patent:

6466880, Oct 15, 2002

Filed:

Feb 16, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/788189

Inventors:

Timothy J. Cunningham - Boulder CO
David Lee Campbell - Boulder CO
Thomas Dean Sharp - Terrace Park OH

Assignee:

Micro Motion, Inc. - Boulder CO

International Classification:

G06F 1760

US Classification:

702 50, 702 43, 702189, 702188, 702 55

Abstract:

Mass flow of a material in a conduit is estimated by mode selective filtering a plurality of motion signals representing motion of the conduit to generate a plurality of mode selective filtered motion signals such that the mode selective filtered motion signals preferentially represent motion associated with a vibrational mode of the conduit. A plurality of phase estimates is generated from the plurality of mode selective filtered motion signals. A mass flow estimate is generated from the plurality of phase estimates. The plurality of phase estimates may be estimated using a phase reference derived from one of the plurality of mode selective filtered motion signals. In some embodiments, a frequency of a mode selective filtered motion signal of the plurality of mode selective filtered motion signals is estimated. Quadrature first and second reference signals are generated based on the estimated frequency. The plurality of phase estimates is generated from the plurality of mode selective filtered motion signals and the first and second reference signals.

US Patent:

6535826, Mar 18, 2003

Filed:

Feb 16, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/785869

Inventors:

Timothy J. Cunningham - Boulder CO
David Lee Campbell - Boulder CO
Thomas Dean Sharp - Terrace Park OH

Assignee:

Micro Motion, Inc. - Boulder CO

International Classification:

G06F 100

US Classification:

702 45, 702100, 73861352, 73861356

Abstract:

Motion signals representing motion of a conduit of a mass flowmeter are mode selective filtered to generate a plurality of mode selective filtered motion signals such that the plurality of mode selective filtered motion signals preferentially represent motion associated with a vibrational mode of the conduit. A plurality of time difference estimates is generated from the plurality of mode selective filtered motion signals. A correlation measure is generated from the plurality of time difference estimates. A status of the mass flowmeter system is determined from the generated correlation measure. In some embodiments, the correlation measure comprises an intercept parameter of a scaling function that relates the plurality of time difference estimates to a plurality of reference time differences representing motion of the conduit at a known mass flow. In other embodiments, the correlation measure comprises a correlation coefficient estimated from the plurality of time difference estimates. In still other embodiments, the correlation measure comprises an error of estimate.

US Patent:

6694279, Feb 17, 2004

Filed:

Feb 16, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/788194

Inventors:

Timothy J. Cunningham - Boulder CO
David Lee Campbell - Boulder CO
Thomas Dean Sharp - Terrace Park OH

Assignee:

Micro Motion, Inc. - Boulder CO

International Classification:

G06F 1700

US Classification:

702106, 702 45, 702 54, 702190, 73861356

Abstract:

Movement of a structure, such a conduit of a Coriolis mass flowmeter, is estimated. A plurality of motion signals representing motion of the structure are mode selective filtered to generate a plurality of mode selective filtered motion signals such that the mode selective filtered motion signals preferentially represent motion associated with a vibrational mode of the structure. A plurality of phase estimates is generated from the plurality of mode selective filtered motion signals. The plurality of phase estimates may be generated using a phase reference derived from a mode selective filtered motion signal of the plurality of mode selective filtered motion signals. According to some embodiments, a frequency of a mode selective filtered motion signal is estimated, and quadrature first and second reference signals are generated based on the estimated frequency. The plurality of phase estimates is generated from the mode selective filtered motion signals and the reference signals.

US Patent:

7185315, Feb 27, 2007

Filed:

Feb 25, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/374923

Inventors:

Thomas Dean Sharp - Terrace Park OH, US
Matthew Joseph Rensing - Cincinnati OH, US

Assignee:

Sheet Dynamics, Ltd. - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

G06F 9/44
H03K 5/22

US Classification:

717109, 717113, 717125, 327 72

Abstract:

An apparatus, program product and method visually represent the disparities between a target design such as a DSP program design and a reference system in connection with the display of a graphical representation of the design, specifically in association with one or more connection elements representing connections defined within the target design. By doing so, a designer, developer or tester who is working with a particular target design is better able to identify and analyze potential problems or other unexpected and/or unintended behaviors in a target design.

US Patent:

7441469, Oct 28, 2008

Filed:

Sep 9, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/574704

Inventors:

Stuart J. Shelley - Cincinnati OH, US
Thomas Dean Sharp - Cincinnati OH, US

Assignee:

Micro Motion, Inc. - Boulder CO

International Classification:

G01F 1/84

US Classification:

73861355, 73861357, 702 45

Abstract:

A method and apparatus is disclosed that measures the flow through a conduit () by measuring the Coriolis coupling between two vibration modes in the conduit. The conduit is first excited at two different vibration modes at two different frequencies (). The coupling between the two modes is determined by forcing the phases of the two modes at the off mode frequency to be zero (). The flow through the conduit can then be determined using the magnitude of the forces required to drive the phases of the two modes at the off mode frequency to zero ().

US Patent:

7706987, Apr 27, 2010

Filed:

Sep 27, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/574716

Inventors:

Thomas Dean Sharp - Terrace Park OH, US
David Frederick Normen - Louisville CO, US
Stuart J. Shelley - Cincinnati OH, US

Assignee:

Micro Motion, Inc. - Boulder CO

International Classification:

G01F 1/84

US Classification:

702 48, 702 45, 702 54, 73861355, 73861356, 73861357

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for periodically calculating the relative phase of the left eigenvector for a vibrating conduit is provided. During normal operation, two drivers are used in tandem to excite the main bending mode of the conduit (). Periodically, first one (), then the second (), of the two drivers is disabled, allowing measurements that enable the determination of the relative phase of the left eigenvector () for the vibrating conduit.

US Patent:

8108168, Jan 31, 2012

Filed:

Mar 12, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/403274

Inventors:

Thomas D. Sharp - Terrace Park OH, US
Uriah M. Liggett - Independence KY, US
Joseph M. Kesler - Cincinnati OH, US

Assignee:

Etegent Technologies, Ltd. - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

G06F 19/00

US Classification:

702 81

Abstract:

A method, apparatus and program product manage non-destructive evaluation (“NDE”) data. NDE data and inspection information for at least a portion of an asset are received and at least one alignment algorithm to align the NDE data to a simulated model of the at least a portion of the asset is determined based upon at least one of the NDE data and the inspection information. The NDE data is automatically aligned to the simulated model with the at least one alignment algorithm and a display representation that visually represents the aligned NDE data on the simulated model is generated.