System and method for pressure sensor testing and verification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10859459-B2
Application number	US-201916256813-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2019
Priority date	Jan 24, 2019
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A system for testing and validating the performance of a pressure sensor includes a test fixture operatively connected to the pressure sensor, and the pressure sensor is configured to identify a fluid pressure relative to an atmospheric pressure. A microcontroller is in electrical communication with the test fixture and the pressure sensor, and the microcontroller is configured to cause the test fixture to introduce air and/or vapor through the pressure sensor at a known fluid pressure. The microcontroller is also configured to receive the identified fluid pressure from the pressure sensor, the identified fluid pressure being based on the air and/or vapor flowing through the pressure sensor. A power source is in electrical communication with the microcontroller, and a display is in electrical communication with the microcontroller. The display is configured to display results to a user, the results comprising the determination of the performance of the pressure sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A testing system for validating the performance of a pressure sensor comprising:
a test fixture configured to be operatively connected to the pressure sensor, the pressure sensor configured to identify a fluid pressure relative to an atmospheric pressure;
a microcontroller in electrical communication with the test fixture and the pressure sensor, the microcontroller configured to:
cause the test fixture to introduce air and/or vapor at a known fluid pressure through the pressure sensor and receive the identified fluid pressure from the pressure sensor, the identified fluid pressure being based on the air and/or vapor flowing through the pressure sensor; and
make a determination regarding the performance of the pressure sensor, the determination being based on the identified fluid pressure and the atmospheric pressure; and

a display in electrical communication with the microcontroller, the display configured to display results to a user, the results comprising the identified fluid pressure and the atmospheric pressure.

2. The testing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a power source in electrical communication with the microcontroller;
a first signal conditioner in electrical communication with the power source; and
a second signal conditioner in electrical communication with the first signal conditioner and the microcontroller, the first signal conditioner and the second signal conditioner configured to reduce signal noise from the power source to the microcontroller.

3. The testing system of claim 2 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to make a comparison of the identified fluid pressure and the atmospheric pressure.

4. The testing system of claim 3 , wherein the determination is based on the comparison, the determination being whether the identified fluid pressure is within a predetermined range of the atmospheric pressure.

5. The testing system of claim 4 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to provide a communication to a user via the display, the communication including the results and the determination.

6. The testing system of claim 5 , wherein the display is configured to show a chart, the chart providing information concerning the atmospheric pressure and the identified fluid pressure.

7. The testing system of claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor is configured to continuously identify the fluid pressure relative to the atmospheric pressure.

8. A testing system for validating the performance of a pressure sensor, comprising:
a puffing machine coupled to a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor configured to identify an inhalation pressure relative to an atmospheric pressure and an exhalation pressure relative to the atmospheric pressure, the puffing machine configured to provide a known inhalation pressure and a known exhalation pressure through the pressure sensor;
a microcontroller in electrical communication with the puffing machine and the pressure sensor, the microcontroller configured to:
cause the puffing machine to introduce air and/or vapor through pressure sensor at the known inhalation pressure and introduce air and/or vapor to the pressure sensor at the known exhalation pressure and receive the identified inhalation pressure and the identified exhalation pressure from the pressure sensor, the identified inhalation pressure being based on the air and/or vapor flowing through the pressure sensor at the known inhalation pressure, and the identified exhalation pressure being based on the air and/or vapor flowing through the pressure sensor at the known exhalation pressure; and
make a determination regarding the performance of the pressure sensor, the determination being based on the identified inhalation pressure, the identified exhalation pressure, the atmospheric pressure, the known inhalation pressure, and the known exhalation pressure; and

a display in electrical communication with the microcontroller, the display configured to display results to a user, the results comprising the identified inhalation pressure, the identified exhalation pressure, the known inhalation pressure, the known exhalation pressure, and the atmospheric pressure.

9. The testing system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a housing containing a cartridge, an atomizer, and the pressure sensor;
the cartridge in communication with the puffing machine and the atomizer, the atomizer in communication with the pressure sensor.

10. The testing system of claim 9 , wherein the cartridge contains a liquid, and the atomizer is configured to heat the liquid to convert the liquid to a vapor when the puffing machine provides the inhalation pressure, the vapor being in contact with the pressure sensor.

11. The testing system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a power source in electrical communication with the microcontroller;
a first signal conditioner in electrical communication with the power source; and
a second signal conditioner in electrical communication with the first signal conditioner and the microcontroller, the first signal conditioner and the second signal conditioner configured to reduce signal noise from the power source to the microcontroller.

12. The testing system of claim 8 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to make a comparison of the identified inhalation pressure, the identified exhalation pressure, the atmospheric pressure, the known inhalation pressure, and the known exhalation pressure.

13. The testing system of claim 12 , wherein the determination is based on the comparison, the determination being whether the identified inhalation pressure and the identified exhalation pressure are within a predetermined range of the atmospheric pressure.

14. The testing system of claim 13 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to provide a communication to a user via the display, the communication including the results and the determination.

15. A method for testing a pressure sensor to validate the performance of the pressure sensor, the method comprising:
providing a testing system, the testing system comprising:
a test fixture configured to be operatively connected to a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor configured to identify a fluid pressure relative to an atmospheric pressure;
a microcontroller in electrical communication with the test fixture and the pressure sensor; and
a display in electrical communication with the microcontroller, the display configured to display results to a user, the results comprising the identified fluid pressure and the atmospheric pressure;

causing the test fixture to introduce air and/or vapor at a known fluid pressure through the pressure sensor;
identifying the fluid pressure of the air and/or vapor flowing through the pressure sensor;
making a determination regarding the performance of the pressure sensor, the determination being based on the identified fluid pressure and the atmospheric pressure; and
displaying fluid pressure results on a display.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
setting a pressure measurement collection frequency; and
identifying the fluid pressure at the pressure measurement collection frequency.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
making a comparison of the identified fluid pressure to the atmospheric pressure.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the determination is based on the comparison, the determination being whether the identified fluid pressure is within a predetermined range of the atmospheric pressure.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
providin

Assignees

• Reynolds Tobacco Co R

Inventors

• Sur Rajesh

Classifications

• G01L27/007 Primary

  Malfunction diagnosis, i.e. diagnosing a sensor defect · CPC title

• A24F40/80 Primary

  Testing · CPC title

• G01L27/005

  Apparatus for calibrating pressure sensors · CPC title

• A24C5/34

  Examining cigarettes or the rod, e.g. for regulating the feeding of tobacco; Removing defective cigarettes · CPC title

• A24F40/50

  Control or monitoring · CPC title