Ultrasonic flow meter having missing value and outlier correction function and method of operation thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12436010-B2
Application number	US-202217960522-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2022
Priority date	Apr 6, 2022
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

An ultrasonic flow meter is provided. The flow meter includes a detector that transmits a signal to a fluid and receives a signal from the fluid, a memory configured to store instructions, and a processor electrically connected to the memory and configured to execute the instructions, and when the instructions are executed by the processor, the processor calculates a first flow-rate value of the fluid using a signal transmitted to the fluid and a signal transmitted from the fluid, determines whether the first flow-rate value is missing, calculates a second flow-rate value of the fluid using a physical quantity of the fluid if the first flow-rate value is missing, and replaces the missing value with the second flow value, and the physical quantity is measured by an auxiliary sensor located installed on a pipe through which the fluid flows.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flow meter comprising:
a detector that transmits a signal to a fluid and receives a signal from the fluid;
a memory configured to store instructions; and
a processor electrically connected to the memory and configured to execute the instructions,
wherein,
when the instructions are executed by the processor, the processor is configured to
calculate a first flow-rate value of the fluid using a signal transmitted to the fluid and a signal transmitted from the fluid, determine whether the first flow-rate value is missing, calculate a second flow-rate value of the fluid using a physical quantity of the fluid if the first flow-rate value is missing, and replace the missing value with the second flow value,
wherein
the physical quantity is configured to
be measured by an auxiliary sensor installed on a pipe through which the fluid flows.

2. The flow meter of claim 1 , wherein
the processor is configured to
determine whether the first flow-rate value is within a valid range, calculate a third flow-rate value of the fluid using the physical quantity if the first flow-rate value is an outlier which lies outside of the valid range, and replace the outlier with the third flow-rate value.

3. The flow meter of claim 1 , wherein
the processor is configured to
store a first flow-rate value and the physical quantity of the fluid obtained at the same time as a data pair; and
search for one or more pre-stored data pairs that includes the physical quantity similar to the physical quantity of the fluid at the time when the missing value occurs, calculate an average value of first flow-rate values comprised in the searched data pair, and replace the missing value with the average value.

4. The flow meter of claim 3 , wherein
the processor is configured to
assign a weight to a first flow-rate value comprised in the searched data pair, calculate a weighted average value of first flow-rate values comprised in the searched data pair, and replace the missing value with the weighted average value.

5. The flow meter of claim 4 , wherein
the processor is configured to
assign the weight differently according to the similarity between the physical quantity included in the searched data pair and the physical quantity of the fluid at the time when the missing value occurred.

6. The flow meter of claim 5 , wherein
the processor is configured to
assign the weight differently in proportion to the similarity.

7. A method of operating the flow meter comprising:
transmitting a signal to a fluid;
receiving a signal transmitted from the fluid;
calculating a first flow-rate value of the fluid using a signal transmitted to the fluid and a signal transmitted from the fluid;
determining whether the first flow-rate value is missing;
receiving a physical quantity of the fluid from an auxiliary sensor installed on a pipe through which the fluid flows;
calculating a second flow-rate value of the fluid using the physical quantity if the first flow-rate value is missing; and
replacing the missing value with the second flow-rate value.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
determining whether the first flow-rate value is within a valid range;
calculating a third flow-rate value of the fluid using the physical quantity if the first flow-rate value is an outlier which lies outside of the valid range; and
replacing the outlier with the third flow-rate value.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
storing a first flow-rate value and the physical quantity of the fluid obtained at the same time as a data pair; and
searching for one or more pre-stored data pairs that includes the physical quantity similar to the physical quantity at the time when the missing value occurs,
wherein
calculating the second flow-rate value comprises:
calculating an average value of a first flow-rate value comprised in the searched data pair,
wherein
replacing the missing value with the second flow-rate value comprises:
replacing the missing value with the average value.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein
calculating the average value comprises:
assigning a weight to a first flow-rate value comprised in the searched data pair; and
obtaining a weighted average value of a first flow-rate value comprised in the searched data pair,
wherein
replacing the missing value with the average value comprises:
replacing the missing value with the weighted average value.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein
assigning the weight comprises:
assigning the weight differently according to the similarity between the physical quantity included in the data pair and the physical quantity of the fluid at the time when the missing value occurred.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein
assigning the weight differently comprises:
assigning the weight differently in proportion to the similarity.

Assignees

• Electronics & Telecommunications Res Inst

Inventors

• Choi Jongwoo
• Park Wan Ki
• Han Jinsoo

Classifications

• G01D1/02

  giving mean values, e.g. root means square values (measuring root mean square values of currents or voltages G01R19/02) · CPC title

• G01F1/662 Primary

  Constructional details · CPC title

• G01F1/667

  Arrangements of transducers for ultrasonic flowmeters; Circuits for operating ultrasonic flowmeters · CPC title

• G01F1/668 Primary

  Compensating or correcting for variations in velocity of sound · CPC title

• G01F25/10 Primary

  of flowmeters · CPC title