text:
Design-Build Questions
and Answers
Project #830-010-332,
Construction of an Integrated Bioresearch Laboratory
Q: If
you are prequalified with CDB as a Construction Manager, but not a General
Contractor can you still submit as a Design Build entity?
A: The entity must be pre-qualified as
an A/E or Contractor before the Phase I submittal deadline. Follow the
instructions at the link for prequalification: http://www.illinois.gov/cdb/business/Pages/Prequalification.aspx.
Q: Is
it possible for an MEP or Architectural consultant to be on more than one
team submitting a response to the CDB Design Build Project # 830-010-332,
Construction of an Integrated Bioresearch Laboratory (IBRL)?
A: There are no restrictions against
consultants submitting with multiple entities.
Q: The
document titled �SD-DB2007� for
the UIUC IBRL project is a bad link on the website and I am not able to open
it. Can that be reloaded, please?
A: The link has been fixed. The
Standard Documents for Design-Build 2007 can also be found on the reference
library: http://www.illinois.gov/cdb/business/library/Pages/default.aspx.
Q: What
level of commissioning will be required for the project?
A: The University of Illinois Commissioning
& Inspection Department will be responsible for commissioning the building.
Q: Past
Performance Evaluation Questionnaire: Clarify the submittal
requirements. Are 5-7 questionnaires required for the entire team or 5 �
7 from the Offeror and 2-3 from each design team member and subcontractor?
A: The Offeror (or lead entity) is
required to submit one (1) DBQ, which lists a minimum of five (5) and a maximum
of seven (7) past contracts. A minimum of two (2) projects must reflect the
experience of the design team and a minimum of three (3) projects must reflect
the experience of the Offeror. The
Offeror�s projects do not need to reflect the experience of the DB team
collectively. The Offeror must also submit Past Performance Evaluation
Questionnaires (entitled �Reference Questionnaire� on DB website) for the 5-7
contracts listed on the DBQ. Accordingly, a minimum of two (2) references will
be for the design team and a minimum of three (3) references will be for the
Offeror. The RFP and Reference Questionnaire will be updated by Amendment to
reflect this clarification.
Q: What
is the age of the Agricultural Bioprocess Laboratory building?
A: The Agricultural Bioprocess
Laboratory was constructed in 1925.
Q: Section
00 42 10.2, Section B. 3) a. References:
Do the two previous project contracts reflecting the experience of the
design firm need to have been completed with the design team�s proposed
contractor partner for this project?
A: No, the
experience of the design team may be independent of the partner.
Q: Section
00 42 10.2, Section C. 2) a. Discussion of project examples: Can these be projects similar to the
Integrated Bioresearch Lab project that the contractor and designer worked on
with other partners?
A: Yes.
Q: When
completing the DB Qualifications Form, are we allowed to use photos on resumes
and example project pages?
A: Project photos are acceptable for Example Projects Which Best Illustrate
Proposed Team's Qualifications for
This Contract. The Past Performance section is limited to 25 pages.
Q: Is
the Past Performance Evaluation Questionnaire submitted with the Phase I
submittal by the Offeror or does the client/owner return directly to CDB?
A: As stated in Section 00 42 10.2 B.
4) b. of the RFP, �Completed Performance Questionnaires shall be included with
the Phase I submittal.�
Section 00 21 16 .13 indicates that the A/E firm of Harley Ellis Devereaux is
ineligible to compete. Does this include other design/engineering consultants
involved in the preparation of the bridging documents?
A: Pursuant to the Design-Build
Procurement Act (30 ILCS 537/20), any �design professional� as defined by
Section 10 of the Design-Build Procurement Act that offered services under
the Illinois Architecture Practice Act
of 1989 (225 ILCS 305/1 et seq), the Professional Engineering Practice Act of
1989 (225 ILCS 325/), the Structural Engineering Licensing Act of 1989 (225
ILCS 340/1 et seq), or the Illinois Professional Land Surveyor Act of 1989 (225
ILCS 330/1 et seq)on the preparation of the scope and performance criteria is
prohibited from participating in any Design-Build entity proposal for this
Section 00 42 10.1 B.1.d indicates �Section 4 � Financial Capability�, but
there are no further clarifications on what to provide for Financial Capability
(similar to the other sections). Are there any further clarifications/instructions
for this section?
A: In order to demonstrate Financial
Capability, the Offeror must provide evidence of bonding capability; evidence
of ability to obtain insurance; and bank references that will meet the Phase II
requirements as listed in the DB-SD 2007.
Section 00 42 10.2 B.3.b indicates to list major construction subcontractors
(i.e. five prime trades) and since these subcontractors have not yet bid the
project, we would assume we would have a list of three to six potential subcontractors
bid each discipline. However, Section 00 42 10.2 B.3.c indicates for multiple
subcontractors for the same discipline to only list a maximum of two
subcontractors. Please confirm this is correct for listing potential
A: This is correct. �Multiple
subcontractors may be named for the same discipline, limited to a maximum of
two (2) subcontractors per discipline.�
Q: The
CDB Design-Build Projects webpage indicates that the Standard Documents for
Design-Build Projects (SD-DB 2007) is the basic �boilerplate� contract for
CDB�s design-build projects and the forms related to this DB RFP. Please
confirm there is no other contract document that should be reviewed.
A: See the Sample DB Contract to be
posted on the website.
Section 00 21 16.8 indicates the time available for design and construction is
540 calendar days from Authorization to Proceed. Can you provide an anticipated
target date for the Authorization to Proceed?
A: Authorization to Proceed is targeted
for late November to early December but no definitive date can be provided at
this time.
Q: In
Section 1 - General Documents, can you please clarify who you are referring to
when you ask for �each member of the DB entity�?
A: In Section 00 42 10.2 A.2, �each
member of the DB entity� refers to each vendor/firm that comprises the DB
entity or �Offeror�.
Q: Is
it the CDB�s intention that D-B entities pre-select prime contractors during
the Phase I submittal?
A: Yes, Section 00 42 10.2 B.3.b
states, �Offeror shall provide a list of major subcontractors and/or teaming
partners to be utilized on this project.�
Q: There
is an inconsistency in the number of pages allowed for the Past Performance
section of the Phase I submittal. Would
CDB consider changing the page limit for Past Performance to 50 pages?
A: The limit for Past Performance is 25
pages, exclusive of the Past Performance Evaluation Questionnaires. This
discrepancy will be addressed by amendment. The page limits will not be
Q: There
is an inconsistency in the number of pages for the Technical Capability.
Section 00 42 10.2 C.1),2), and 3) total 12 pages maximum. Section 00 51 01.2
A. states, �The Personnel Experience section is limited to ten (10) pages.�
A: Technical Capability is Section 3 of
the Phase I submittal, and Personnel Experience section is evaluation criteria
for personnel for the submittal. These two sections are not directly related.
Section 00 51 01.2 A. The Personnel Experience section is limited to ten
(10) pages will be addressed by amendment. Page limitations are established
in Section 00 42 10.
Q: There
is a limit of using 11 x 17 as a page size for schedules only. Would CDB
consider allowing 11 x 17 size paper for the organizational chart required in
the DBQ as well?
A: 11 x 17 paper will only be accepted
for schedules.
Q: Phase
I Evaluation Criteria states that the submittal cannot exceed fifty (50) pages,
this seems inconsistent with other page limits.
A: The Phase I submittal must not
exceed fifty (50) pages in total. Edit:
Section 1 � General Documents is not included in the fifty (50) pages.
Q: Section
00 42 10.2 B.3.b and c are inconsistent with use of the term �subcontractors�
and subconsultants.
A: Section 00 42 10.2 B.3.c refers to construction
subcontractors. The Section states, �Except for the design team or prime
construction contractor��
Q: Please
clarify the sections to be included in the proposal and content within each
section. Clarify any page
limitations for different sections.
A: The Phase I submittal contents can
be found in Section 00 42 10.2 of the RFP. Section 00 51 01 is the Phase I
Evaluation Criteria and does not directly correlate to the sections of the
submittal. Page limitations are spelled out in the RFP, any changes or inconsistencies
will be addressed by amendment.
Q: Do
we need to submit Financial Disclosures, Standard Business Terms and Conditions
and Standard Cert., and Illinois State Board of Elections Certificates from any
subcontractor or design consultant we include in our proposal?
A: Subcontractors and sub-consultants
are not required to submit at this time. All members (�Primes�) of the Offeror
are required to submit the documents.
Q: Is
Section 1 - General Documents of the Phase I submittal included in the 50 page
A: Section
1 - General Documents is not included in the 50 page limit.
Q: Our
MBE/FBE team members, especially on the design side, are prequalified with the
Illinois Capital Development Board and with the Illinois Secretary of State.
Is certification with CMS an absolute requirement?
A: Firms must be certified as MBE or
FBE with CMS to meet the MBE/FBE requirement. CDB no longer recognizes IDOT
certification for MBE/FBE. Firms not certified with CMS may submit to the
project but will not receive credit toward the established goals.
Q: In
SD-DB Section 00 43 38.2 and Section 00 51 20.2H, both indicate the proposer
shall submit a draft PC-2 form with its Phase I proposal as part of its MBE/FBE
plan. However, there is no form or requirement for a draft PC-2 form in the
A: PC-2 Forms are not required for the
Phase I submittal. Please comply with Section 00 42 10.2 A.4) of the RFP for
the MBE/FBE Utilization Plan.
Q: What
power requirements should be planned?
The floor plans and room data sheets show outlets and locations;
however, don�t seem to address circuiting?
Should individual circuits be provided or can multiple outlets be
contained on circuits?
A: See both the U of I Facility
Standards Wiring Devices Section 26 27 26/ Execution and Bridging Document
Section E Item 10 through 26.
Q: What
equipment load should be used for cooling loads?
A: The cooling loads shall be verified
during design. For proposal purposes
design airflows are provided in �1.B.8 to allow the offerors to cost equipment. These numbers are based on the original
capacities which were confirmed by UIUC.
Q: The
existing laboratory has an ice storage cooling loop. The new building will be connected to the
campus chilled water loop. The campus
chilled water loop is supplied at 43F.
Will any of the new processes need temperatures colder than 43F?
A: No.
However, a clean chilled water system for the process bay is also
specified in the bridging documents.
Q: Please
designate the Authorization to Proceed (ATP) Date.
A: As answered above, Authorization to
Proceed is targeted for late November to early December but no definitive date
can be provided as ATP depends on post award requirement processing.
Q: Will
the University of Illinois have a Representative for the November 7th
A: Per the Act (Design-Build
Procurement Act), the University will have a representative on the selection
Q: Will
CDB provide the HED Revit Model for our use in preparing our Phase II
A: Electronic files will be posted to
the CDB Website.
Q: DI/RO Water
loop: What flow rate is expected at each connection?
A: The design/builder shall verify flow
rates at each connection during design.
Using the room data sheets as a starting point the contractor shall
assume a basis for system sizing and state the basis in the proposal.
Q: What flow rate
should be planned at each connection for the following: Compressed Air (low and high), Vacuum, Natural
Gas, Chilled/Process Cooling Water, Steam (low and high), Culinary Steam?
Q: Glycerin:
What flow rate should be planned at each connection?
A: The reference to glycerin in the
room data sheets is in error and shall be disregarded by the offerors. This
will be addressed by amendment.
Q: In
SD-DB Section 00 43 38.2 and Section 00 51 20.2H, both indicate the proposer
shall submit a draft PC-2 form with its proposal as part of its MBE/FBE plan.
However, there is no form or requirement for a draft PC-2 form in the RFP.
Please advise if a PC-2 form needs to be submitted with Phase II submittal and,
if so, what are the workforce goals?
A: PC-2 form will be posted to the
Q: Our
understanding of first and second-tier suppliers that are certified on the IL
Dept CMS as MBE or FBE firms is that the full value of the material they supply
will contribute to our MBE/FBE construction goal when completing the Document
00 41 05. Please confirm.
A: This is correct.
Q: Regarding
the bridging documents dwg files provided, if you turn on all the layers in the
four architectural dwg files, many things become visible. For instance,
electrical equipment has been placed and even circuited. H&V equipment show
up also with horsepower noted. Is this additional information on the layers
that were not turned on supposed to be part of the formal bridging documents?
If so, will they be issued as formal pdf with the layers on we should be
reviewing? Drawing L1.0 is listed on the drawing index of the Bridging
Documents, but was not included in the released package. Will a pdf version be
released for our use?
A: DWG files were provided to ease the
phase II proposal process. PDF�s in the file �IBRL � 830-010-332 Final Bridging
Document� are the official, final bridging documents. Other layers that do not
appear on the PDF�s are not part of the bridging documents. Please review item
#5 of the Amendment 5. Drawing L1.0 is
part of the bridging documents will be provided by amendment.
Q: In
the CDB Standard Documents for Design-Build Projects 2007 Section 004339, Item
.1 indicates that �Applicable goals for first and second level subcontractor
and supplier MBE/FBE participation will be included in the RFP.� In the RFP for the UIUC IBRL project, Section
004210, Item .2.A.4.a indicates that the MBE/FBE construction goals �include
both Tier 1 and Tier 2 subcontractors.�
Please confirm that Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers are also allowed to be
included towards the participation goals.
Also, is the use of Tier 2 subcontractors and suppliers toward the
participation goals allowed for all scopes of work, or is it limited to MEP
subcontractors such as used under the �Single Prime with Protected
Subcontractors� project delivery method?
A: Yes, tier 1 and tier 2
subs/suppliers are acceptable for all scopes.
Q: Could
you please clarify if the Design-Builder / Proposer is required to Supply and
Install all Furniture, Equipment, Computers etc. noted on the Room Data Sheets?
A: Refer to Section F of Volume 1 of
the Project Manual. Design-Builder is to design/coordinate and install the
Owner-purchased �Furnishings� and �Office Equipment� as described under Part
Q: Regarding
Bridging Document page E-4, subparagraph "10. Redundancy" (1,2,3,
The column titled "Redundancy" is
understood to mean "Quantity of components to be provided".
2. Then "N+1" is understood to mean
to "Provide a quantity (N) of the listed equipment equally sized
components which have the capacity to satisfy 100% of the design load. Provide
at least one additional independent backup component (+1) of the same capacity
as the N components."
No. The term N+1 requires that more
than one piece of equipment provide the full system capacity. It does not require full redundancy, such as
2N. See below for the additional
capacity required for each piece.
3. Then the note "N+1 < 133%" is
understood to mean to "Provide a quantity (N) of the listed equipment
equally sized components which have the capacity to satisfy 100% of the design
load. Provide at least one additional independent backup component (+1) of the
same capacity as the N components such that the size of any one component is
not greater than 33% of the design load."
No. Each piece of equipment (i.e.
fan, pump, etc.) shall be sized so that the total capacity of all of the
devices is 133% of the required duty for the system. For example, if an exhaust system requires 10,000
cfm, two fans shall be provided with a duty of 6,650 cfm. This would be similar for the fans associated
with an air handler. Full redundancy
would be defined as �2N�.
Are the above three understandings correct?
A: No.
Q2: Should
the note "N+1 < 133%" be applied to the entry "Heating Water
Pumps"? This would require four very small pumps, each sized at 33% of the
design flowrate, be provided.
A: Yes.
The glycol and heating water system will require two pumps at 2/3 of the
full system capacity.
Q3: Should
the note "N+1 < 133%" be applied to the entry "Supply
Fans" for AHU-1? This would require four small fans, each sized at 33% of
the design flowrate, be provided for AHU-1 in a fan array arrangement.
Note that if the project would be agreeable to housed centrifugal fans
for the three AHUs then the note "N+1 < 133%" should be removed
from the table for the Supply fan entry.
A: Yes, but requires, minimally, two
fans, sized for 2/3 of the system capacity.
More fans can be provided but the total capacity should be at 133% of
the required system capacity. Additional
capacity can be provided, but the minimum total capacity is 133% of the system
A single housed centrifugal will
not satisfy the redundancy requirement. This would be an exception to the bidding
requirements and should be noted in the proposal.
Q4: Note
that UIUC 23 73 23 2.15.A.5.c implies that any arrangement with N+1 fans is a
"critical application" requiring dedicated VFD and automated
discharge damper for each fan. So a "N+1 < 133%" table entry would
require four VFDs and four actuated dampers to match the four supply fans.
Consider using the "N+1 < 133%" table entry note only on those
AHUs required to have supply fan arrays.
Should AHU-1 with an N+1 entry be
considered a critical fan per 23 73 23 2.15.A.5.c?
A: AHU-1 is associated with the office
and would not be considered critical.
Q5: Should
AHU-2 with an N+1 entry be considered a critical fan per 23 73 23 2.15.A.5.c?
A: AHU-2 is deemed critical.
Q6: Should
AHU-3 with an N+1 entry be considered a critical fan per 23 73 23 2.15.A.5.c?
A: AHU-3 is deemed critical.
Q7: Should
the note "N+1 < 133%" be applied to the entry "Lab Exhaust
Fan"? This would require four fans, each sized at 33% of the design
flowrate, be provided for each of the two lab exhaust systems. To locate such an fan array arrangement
outdoors next to the two penthouses would appear to be an uncommon arrangement.
A: This can be designed as two fans,
each sized with a capacity 2/3 of the system duty.
Q8: Should
the "Lab Exhaust Fan" entry apply to the general exhaust fan system
serving the Analytical Lab exhaust taken from the occupant's breathing space?
It is understood that the Fume Hood exhaust system is a "Lab exhaust
fan" and will be "high plume, induction-type complete with bypass
plenum and dilution nozzles" as note on page E-10 of the Bridging
Document. Two fans sized at 100% capacity would be a common arrangement.
A: The exhaust fans shall be sized as
explained above.
Q9: Is
the Volatile Extraction room 136 exhaust fan noted on page E-21 of the Bridging
Document to be considered a "process exhaust fan" as noted on E-10?
If yes, the Volatile Extraction Exhaust fan would be furnished as "high
plume, induction-type complete with bypass plenum and dilution nozzles"
which is "spark-resistant".
A: Correct.
Q10: For
the Volatile Extraction fan system, is AMCA "C" spark resistant an
acceptable level of spark resistance?
A: This is a minimum level of spark
resistance, and is acceptable. Please
clearly note the specification for the fans in the proposal.
Q: Section
E, page 38, under Section 8 Emergency Generator states "The generators
will be sized to accommodate the entire building load...". Is the intent
to have the generator serve the entire building or just essential loads that
are defined?
A: This shall be confirmed during
design by the design/build contractor.
Q: Regarding
the requirements on the Lab Data Sheets for the Processing Bay: There are some
discrepancies with language in the Bridging Document narrative with regard to
different steam utilities required at Utility Stations. Data Sheet lists Hi
Pressure Steam (80 psi), but narrative mentions 60 psi. Data Sheet lists Low
pressure steam (no specific PSI delivery) and narrative doesn�t appear to list
any low pressure steam, at least with regard to Processing Bay other than AHU
steam and humidification. Please provide confirmation as to what is correct or
which are we to follow. We know that we are very early in the design stage, but
there are no sizing of pipes, so there is no way to know how much steam is
being generated or used at these locations or for any processes. Also, the
utility stations make no mention of condensate return for any of the steam to
those locations and we would have to assume there needs to be one for each type
of steam being delivered.
A: The steam pressures are listed in
Section E as follows:
Low pressure (12 PSIG) shall be
provided for the hot water generator, the glycol heating water generator, and
the domestic water heater. High pressure steam (145 PSIG) shall be provided for
the culinary steam system. The culinary
steam is delivered at 60 psig. The room
data sheet.
The high pressure steam listed in
the data sheet for the Processing Bay refers to campus high pressure steam that
has been regulated down to 80 psig. The
low pressure steam listed is delivered at 12 psig.
Condensate will be returned form
high and low pressure steam systems. The
culinary steam system will not include a condensate return system.
Q: Can
we get a detail or sketch of the incoming medium voltage ductbank that will
meet U of I specifications? Are we
allowed to directional bore this installation to save costs?
A: A sketch will not be provided at
this time. No, the primary service is to
be installed in a concrete duct bank.
Q: No
specific switchgear manufacturer is listed. Since the project will need digital
metering, Tri-City is assuming that the University has a preferred system which
they would like to keep consistent with. Based on their experience with
universities and multiple building installations, the digital metering is
preferred to stay the same for maintenance staff. Please provide this info.
A: Please refer to The Universities
Electrical Metering Standards, Section 26 27 13.
Q: Can
we get a drawing or sketch for the Communications ductbank design? Are we
allowed to directional bore this installation to save costs?
A: The University Standards, located in
the Facilities web site, are standard details for underground communication
conduit. No. Please follow the details using spacers, and
concrete encasement.
Q: Which
document takes precedence for scope of work between the Section E narrative and
the Volume 2 - Appendix A Room Data Sheets? For example, in the Processing Bay
(room 135), Section E, page 41, item 23.c calls for four (4) 208v, 30 amp and
four (4) 120v, 20 amp overhead receptacles in each quadrant, while the room
data sheet in Appendix A only calls for one (1) 208v, 30 amp overhead
receptacle in each quadrant.
A: Follow both requirements but when
there is a conflict use the direction which requires more devices or is more
restrictive. In this case follow Section E.
Q: The
lighting levels indicated on the Room Data Sheets are way over than IESNA
recommendations. Do we need to provide lighting levels indicated on Room Data
Sheets or follow IESNA recommendations?
A: The room data sheets shall be used for
the proposal. The lighting levels shall
be confirmed during design by the design/build contractor.
Q: The
Bridging document Section E Part III
Para D, 8 indicates generator size should accommodate entire building power
while in other paragraphs indicates provide some receptacles on generator
power. Is generator required to backup entire building or curtains portion of
the building only?
Q: Can
the CDB confirm that the project is still registered under LEED v. 2.2? The
GBCI reserves the right to revoke registration if there is an extended period
of inactivity on the LEEDOnline portal. If the project registration has been
revoked, the project will likely have to comply with LEED 4.0 which will have a
substantial impact on the project design. There are significant changes to the
energy and atmosphere (energy savings) that would greatly affect the program.
A: The project is registered under LEED
Q: The
RFP asks that the narrative reflect setback requirements, however, no setbacks
are shown on the civil bridging documents.
Provide setback information.
A: If there are not any setback
requirements shown, then the narrative should reflect that. The building is
located on the site by N/E, as shown on the civil drawings. The University's FS2 standards do not require
specific setbacks so I would think these defer to local municipality codes, and
the designer should confirm these requirements during design.
The bridging documents suggest using the 8,000 gallon storm water management
vault to provide rainwater harvesting for irrigation. The quantity of irrigation water to be stored
is not clearly specified. However the
storm water management volume and the irrigation storage column cannot be
stored in the same facility without negating the intended peak storm water flow
attenuation unless there is a system in place to evacuate the irrigation water
in anticipation of a storm. There are
three possible scenarios:
a. Construct a separate
rainwater harvesting tank on site or in the building.
b. Incorporate
smart technology into a combines system that will manage the volume of
rainwater stored compared to the anticipated storm flow.
c. Eliminate the
rainwater harvesting system entirely.
Please provide clarification.
A: There is no requirement for a
rainwater harvesting system. The tank is
currently listed to show a total size, mainly for the purpose of cost inclusion
as well as site space allocation. Per
direction from the University this tank will be accessed by a roaming landscape
crew that will use a hose and pump to utilize this water for landscaping. The tank's size includes the volume increase
for the 100-year peak discharge plus the 2-year storm volume to meet LEED SS6.1
objectives. If the designer feels they
can achieve the required LEED certification without this point the tank may be
reduced to only handle the increase to the peak 100-year storm event. The tank should be designed with a restricted
release rate so as not to exceed the existing 100-year peak discharge, as this
is the critical flow. The 2-year storm
event will be discharged at a smaller rate due to the decreased high water
level elevation within the tank.
Q: On
the plan, there is a #64 sterilizer listed (freestanding) and an autoclave
listed on the bench (#67). The only
description in the equipment data sheet for the autoclave is for a freestanding
size (item G) and there is no sterilizer listed/described.
Is the sterilizer #64 meant to be the autoclave, and if so, what are
the requirements for #67 bench top autoclave.
Please clarify.
A: The bench top autoclave is to be
deleted and the autoclave is to be located where the sterilizer is shown. The
autoclave requirements listed in the bridging documents, �Note G of the
equipment matrix�, do not change.
Q: On
the water system, the drawings say connect to City of Urbana 12� water main.
The City is not a supplier of water. It is either U of I water or Illinois
American Water Co. I believe this to be a U of I main which could be run into
the building and split for fire and domestic. If it is an Illinois American
Water Co. main, we have to take separate fire and domestic lines into the
building as well as provide a detector check assembly outside the building. Please clarify who is the Water Supply
A: The water main is owned by the
University of Illinois. This has been
confirmed with Illinois American Water Company; they do not own a 12" main
within Pennsylvania Avenue. They do own
a 6" water main in Pennsylvania Avenue but terminates at S. Virginia
Drive, approximately 1,000 LF east of our project site.
Q: We
assume that we do not need to include any campus utility facility costs
associated connection, tap and usage of campus utilities. For example, we assume there is not a
one-time facility charge to connect the building to the campus chilled water
system and that there is not a charge to use the chilled water for temporary
construction cooling, if required,
Please confirm. If there are
charges, please advise to the amounts and/or rates that we would need to
A: The Design-Builder is required to
pay for CHW usage. Also, no CHW usage is
permitted unless a working and verified CHW meter is in place to record usage.
Rates should be verified by UIUC.
Q: We
cannot locate 5/H4.4 referenced on S1.0 regarding trench drains.
A: This detail reference should be
disregarded, modifications to Sheet S1.0, clarifying the detail references,
will be issued.
Q: Bridging
Document Section E - Services, Part II, Para A, 5, h, iii - �Transformer New
outdoor, less flammable/nontoxic oil cooled, pad mounted transformer. Match the
campus primary voltage of 12470 Volts and secondary voltage of 480/277 Volts,
Three (3) Phase, Four (4) wire. Transformer shall have bayonet style current
limiting fuses. Impedance range shall be between 4% - 5.75% Z, the rate of rise
shall be 80� C, the high voltage BIL 95 KV, low voltage BIL 10 KV and HV Taps:
Four (4) 2-1/2% full capacity (two above and two below the normal tap)�
indicates outdoor oil filled transformer while UIUC technical standards section
261116 - Secondary Unit Substations, Part 2, Para 2.1, J - �Outdoor
Installations: Transformers filled with
flammable oil may be used in outdoor installations where hazards from smoke or
fumes from an overheated transformer will not affect adjacent buildings. All
outdoor transformer and or switchgear/switchboard enclosures shall be
weatherproof� The proposed location of building is in well-populated area and
it is surrounded by other buildings and even it is rare case if smoke comes out
of transformer, it will effect operation of this building as well as other
surrounding buildings.
A: Follow the requirements of Section E
Transformer New outdoor, less flammable/nontoxic oil cooled, pad mounted transformer.
Match the campus primary voltage of 12470 Volts and secondary voltage of
480/277 Volts, Three (3) Phase, Four (4) wire. Transformer shall have bayonet
style current limiting fuses. Impedance range shall be between 4% - 5.75% Z,
the rate of rise shall be 80� C, the high voltage BIL 95 KV, low voltage BIL 10
KV and HV Taps: Four (4) 2-1/2% full capacity (two above and
two below the normal tap)�.
Q: Bridging
document Part II, Para A, 5, h, ix indicates exterior sound attenuated
generator with integral base tank, while Part III Para B, 12 indicates provide
underground fuel oil piping for generator or we have integral fuel tank or a
separate fuel-tank?
A: Bridging documents call for an
integral fuel tank with a remote fill pipe.
Q: In
order to simplify some of the technical questions submitted earlier, which
document rules over conflicts of information, the bridging documents or the
bridging specifications?
A: See section 007205.2 which outlines
the subject of document conflict. The
conflict should be resolved in favor of the �Enhancement/Betterment� of the
project, as described in section 007205.2.
Q: In
order to simplify some of the technical questions submitted earlier, Which
technical standard rules, the bridging documents or UIUC standards, if there
are conflicts?
A: The bridging documents should rule.
Q: What
standard of Low E, Argon gas filled, U values summer and winter, SHGC, Shade
Coefficient is desired for the glazing?
A: The standard and other values are to
be determined during the design phase and shall comply with UIUC standards.
Q: Is
the updated disclosure form C required to be included in the Phase 2
submittal? Where is that specific
form? Is it the Financial Disclosure
form we submitted in Phase 1? If so, do
we need to submit again if there are not changes to our team and our
A: The DB-PTF has been revised under Phase 2 Requirements to: �Updated Financial Disclosures and Conflicts of
Interest, Certifications and Standard Terms and Conditions, and Business
with Iran must be provided by each firm listed.�


text:
The lights are on
Max Payne 3 is hitting PCs next week, or June 1st if you want to get specific. Now's as good a time as any to make sure your machine is up to the task. Take a look at the minimum specs to see if you'll have to upgrade.
Rockstar has released the following recommendations, which list the lowest to highest configurations that the game was tested on. If you're on the fence about the game, take a look at our review of its console counterpart.
Lowest tested specs
Low recommended specs
High recommended specs
Highest tested specs
Other requirements
Initial activation requires internet connection and a valid Rockstar Social Club account (13+ to register); Online play requires log-in to Rockstar Social Club (13+); software installation required including GameShield IronWrap; DirectX and Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86).
Email the author Jeff Cork, or follow on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, and Game Informer.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
In a press conference Nov. 19, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the city of Chicago will file a "Notice of Intent" to sue U.S. Steel...
New community center demonstrates rainwater best management practices
Ask anyone to describe Los Angeles and you are likely to garner responses that paint a portrait of an ailing city: jam-packed freeways, sprawling development and poor air quality. But in the middle of this metropolis is a new complex that offers a vision for a healthy, safe and sustainable urban environment at the TreePeople's Center for Community Forestry.
TreePeople—an environmental nonprofit organization that has been serving the Los Angeles area for more than three decades—offers sustainable solutions to urban ecosystem problems, focusing on three areas:
Los Angeles was built without much regard for the cycles of nature. Decades of destructive land-use practices have resulted in a host of environmental challenges such as polluted runoff, loss of natural pervious surfaces, impaired water bodies, dwindling supplies of local groundwater and a dependency on imported water. Solving these problems requires a new vision—one that includes the use of site-appropriate, nature-inspired technologies to create an urban environment that works in concert with nature and brings about an improved quality of life.
With the development of the Center for Community Forestry, TreePeople wanted to create a welcoming campus that would demonstrate rainwater best management practices, provide an inspiring meeting space to solve environmental challenges and serve as a destination for schoolchildren.
TreePeople is headquartered in the 45-acre Coldwater Canyon Park, a City of Los Angeles park in the Santa Monica Mountains. The five-acre plateau upon which the Center for Community Forestry is located presents a unique set of conditions. The plateau and surrounding hillsides provide opportunities for rainwater capture, but the site's location atop a hill—and the associated risks of mudslides and slope destabilization—make it a poor candidate for large-volume infiltration. As project manager, TreePeople elected to harvest the majority of rain that falls on the property by capturing, filtering and storing it for use in irrigating the park's landscaped areas.
Completed in October 2008, the complex is composed of several design elements:
Conference Center: This 3,870-sq-ft meeting space, designed by architecture firm Marmol Radziner and Associates, received the highest possible rating—LEED Platinum—from the U.S. Green Building Council through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building rating system.
The building's many sustainable features include dual-flush toilets that conserve water and a roof angled to direct rainwater to a spout that flows into a sand pit, where water is filtered and then released into a cistern.
Cistern: This underground rainwater storage tank has a capacity of 216,000 gal, a 70-ft diameter and a depth of 15 ft. The circular cistern stores water collected from the roofs of two nearby buildings as well as runoff captured from the parking lot.
Rainwater is filtered prior to entering the cistern and is stored for landscape irrigation of climate-appropriate plants. Mulch and subsurface drip irrigation help make the most efficient use of cistern water by minimizing evaporation.
S. Mark Taper Foundation Environmental Learning Center: This 750-sq-ft building provides a space for workshops and other educational events. In place of a conventional downspout, the structure has a rain chain that directs water to the cistern.
W.M. Keck Foundation Nursery: The nursery is used to cultivate and care for young trees in preparation for restoration projects in local mountain and parkland areas.
Parking Grove: Recycled asphalt in the parking lot is coated with light-colored paint to reduce the heat-island effect and increase reflectivity. About one-third of the parking spaces are unpaved and filled with gravel. This allows rainwater to infiltrate naturally and also captures vehicle toxins after they are filtered by gravel and soil.
Trees are strategically planted to shade parked vehicles and reduce the emissions of volatile organic compounds that occur when parked vehicles heat up.
Rainwater that flows across the impervious asphalt surface is directed toward a trench drain and then sent to a gravel swale outfitted with a perforated pipe where, when volumes are sufficiently high, it is directed to the cistern for storage. Catch basins are fitted with debris collectors that trap leaves and other organic matter, and FloGard filters (manufactured by KriStar) that reduce hydrocarbon loads in the water.
Urban Watershed Garden: This outdoor space features various elements designed to help schoolchildren and park visitors understand current urban environmental challenges and visualize nature-inspired solutions. Two functioning single-family home models, approximately 10 ft high, show differences in water use and management between a conventional urban home and its more sustainable counterpart.
On the "urban urgencies" side, water is wasted: thirsty turf, sprinkler overspray, standard gutter downspouts directed toward impervious surfaces, and hoses used to spray sidewalks and driveways combine to waste water.
On the "sustainable solutions" side, concrete is broken up to create areas for water to infiltrate, bioswale depressions with drought-tolerant landscaping collect and filter rainwater, trees shade the home and a rain barrel fashioned from a reused 60-gal pickle container stores water collected from the roof.


text:
The mentally ill man who stabbed his girlfriend to death and then stuffed her body in a 55-gallon drum has been arrested for murder, police said.
Bismark Lithgow, 24, was slapped with second-degree murder charges today for the March 2 slaying of Francis Angelica Alfonso Pellarano, 19, police said.
The teen's body was found after Lithgow's grandmother called 911 because of a foul odor coming from the man's room inside of their home on Seventh Avenue near West 140th Street, cops said.
Lithgow and his girlfriend were living together in the apartment that they shared with his grandmother, cops said.
Lithgow, who suffers from bi-polar disorder, was taken to St. Luke's Hospital for psychiatric treatment following the murder.
The city's medical examiner later determined that Alfonso Pellarano had been stabbed to death, police said.


text: I'm having second thoughts. Our business is at a crossroads right now. There is so much business, actually backed up due to May and June's constant rain, that my husband and I cannot handle it all. We need an additional person to help shoulder the responsibility..i.e. running the jobs and making sure they get started and completed on time. I'm out doing sales calls, estimates,design, and troubleshooting...and my husband along with 2 employees are doing the installations. We recently canned our hardscape subcontractor for unethical behavior...now our workload has increased greatly. We have one guy working with us for $20.00 an hour..he has great experience in both landscape and hardscape, has managerial skills, and speaks fluent spanish. He has shown an interest in part ownership in our business but I am unsure of his motives. I am hot and cold with him....one day he is great..and another day he will call and say hes not coming in because hes doing work on the side. He says if he were a partner he would dedicate all of his time to the business, but since hes not, he needs to do his "own thing" to pay his bills. Our business is a corporation, so we would have to sell him shares......but he has no money to put up. He only has a few pieces of equipment and 7 clients. He would only be bringing his skills and good looks to the business. We could really really use him though.... but I'm just not sure if he would be as dedicated as he says he would. Deep down inside, I'd like things to remain as they are and just have a really good foreman...but its impossible to find one here... we've tried.


text:
Weight Gain/Shake
I'm 19 years old and am 6'3 and only weigh around 145 pounds. I've struggled with weight my entire life. One of the main reasons is a weak stomach. Due to the fact that i've been skinny my entire life I don't quite know what I should be doing. My sensitive stomach makes Whey protein out of the picture. 1. Does anyone know of a good protein powder that has high calories that isn't Whey? 2. Any good meal plans to follow? 3. I haven't been lifting because I haven't been feeling to great recently and have been caught up with school. Any help would be awesome, thanks a ton.
In order for a weight-gain shake to be effective, there are some essential nutrients you need to have present. The exact amount of nutrients is going to depend on when you're ingesting the shake as you'll have changing needs throughout the day. I find it very effective as part of my Balanced diet! ;)
|All times are GMT -8. The time now is 09:56 AM.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2017, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.


text:
BMW's model proliferation may soon be in the same league as Audi's, as the company is planning a saloon version of the 1 Series. It'll become the fifth 1 Series variant, joining the three-door, five-door, coupé, and convertible versions.
This isn't official, but the word according to Autocar. It makes sense, if for no other reason than Audi is planning a saloon version of the A3 - the concept version of that car debuted at last year's Geneva Motor Show.
Because cars are getting generally bigger and fatter, the new 1 Series will be pitched as the spiritual successor to the original 3 Series, satiating the desire in some keen driver types for a nice little rear-wheel drive saloon with epic handling characteristics.
We're not fans of small saloons here in the UK - there aren't many of them about, with the VW Bora/Jetta the only notable recent success story - but elsewhere they're massively popular. Says Autocar, the 1 Series saloon will become a huge hit in China and North America.
That's said, the idea of a junior 3 Series (read: cheaper 3 Series) may well appeal to the badge-conscious buyers of the UK, especially as BMW will stuff a couple of six-cylinder engines under the bonnet. (Not at the same time, you understand.) And, natch, there'll be an M version.


text:
ACParadise Network: American Cosplay Paradise American Cosplay Experience American Cosplay Snapshots
Cosplayer Han-pan > Costume of Tomoe Tachibana (Trauma Team)
- Most Recent Photo
- 05-28-2011
- Series
- Trauma Team
- Character
- Tomoe Tachibana
- Year Completed:
- Construction Difficulty:
- Costume worn at:
- Anime USA 2011
About this Costume
- Construction Details:
Did the main construction of this costume in about three days. Kimono (top & dickie), hakama-ish style skirt, waist sash and lab "poncho." All that remains is to apply little details--white ribbon on the skirt, dark red edging to the kimono top and the pink petals on the kimono.
Add a Comment


text:
Ray Anderson was named and introduced as Arizona State's Athletic Director Thursday.
Anderson is a former NFL league office executive, running the football operations department since 2006. Before that he was the vice president of the Atlanta Falcons.
"In evaluating the next step in my career, I could not imagine a better, more exciting opportunity," said Anderson in a press release. "I am thrilled to become part of the team at Arizona State and energized by the academic and athletic mission of this great university."
The hiring comes a day after Arizona Sports' Paul Calvisi had heard Anderson would be the guy.
Talking to multiple ASU sources over past couple hours, the name I keep hearing as next AD is Ray Anderson, most recently with NFL office..
— Paul Calvisi (@PaulCalvisi) January 9, 2014
ASU has been looking to replace Steve Patterson since his departure for the same position at the University of Texas in November.
Anderson reportedly was a potential candidate for several NFL team president positions, and last served as the NFL's VP of Football Operations.
"We look forward to working with Ray, who has worked in athletics at the highest level and been a part of arguably the strongest brand in sports," ASU basketball head coach Herb Sendek said in a release.
Anderson played both football and baseball at Stanford before graduating from Harvard Law School. He later launched a sports agency, where he represented former Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green.
"I am very impressed with the hire of Ray Anderson as our Vice President for University Athletics," said Sun Devil football head coach Todd Graham in a release. "Ray has a unique blend of professional experiences and that will serve him well at ASU. I especially like the fact that he has a football background, both as a player and as a professional in the marketplace."
ASU has about 500 student-athletes across 22 sports. They currently graduate at a rate of 82 percent, fourth-best in the Pac-12 Conference.
Michael Kelly, COO of the College Football Playoff
Friday October 27
Michael Kelly tells us what goes into the College Football Playoff rankings and how they make the fi
Put Up Or Shut Up!
Wednesday September 20
An offensive lineman, an all-star first baseman and two head coaches. Find out who we're calling out
Gump Hayes, Arizona Cardinals rookie defensive back
Wednesday June 28
Former Sun Devil Gump Hayes explains how he got his nickname and discusses what he hopes to bring to
Ray Anderson, ASU athletic director
Tuesday February 14
Ray Anderson explains what went wrong with the joint arena deal with the Coyotes.
Chris Karpman, SunDevilSource.com
Wednesday February 1
Chris Karpman has the latest updates on the Sun Devils' recruiting class.


text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|24 Sep 1991
|Filing date
|3 Dec 1990
|Priority date
|5 May 1986
|Fee status
|Publication number
|Keith W. Kawate, Anthony J. Sabetti
|Original Assignee
|Texas Instruments Incorporated
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (80), Non-Patent Citations (5), Referenced by (46), Classifications (13), Legal Events (6)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 07/432,024, filed 11-06-89now U.S. Pat. No. 4982351. which was a continuation of Ser. No. 06/859,561, filed 5-5-86 now abandoned.
The field of this invention is that of condition responsive sensors and the invention relates more particularly to sensors which provide high precision but which are adapted to be manufactured at low cost for wide application in severe environments in automotive vehicles or the like to have long, reliable service lives in such environments.
The widest possible use of computers for performing highly sophisticated control functions has sometimes been retarded by the lack of availability of suitable sensors capable of furnishing correspondingly sophisticated and reliable control input to the computers. Sensors which have been available have tended to be relatively expensive to manufacture or to provide less than fully desirable levels of precision and reliability over suitably long service lives for many purposes. This is particularly true where such sensors have been considered for use in automotive applications and the like where the sensors might be subjected to severe environmental conditions.
It has now been recognized that many problems of sensor cost, precision and reliability are overcome where particular sensor structures are adapted in certain ways for more universal application such that the wider application permits incorporation of more sophisticated sensor features to enhance precision and reliability while also permitting manufacturing economy resulting from the larger volume manufacture made possible by wider application to maintain sensor costs at practical levels. It is further recognized that even wider application is achieved where the sensor incorporates a condition responsive element such as a capacitive pressure transducer which is easily scaled to provide initial condition-responsive signals within the same general range for respective different ranges of applied pressure or other condition being monitored; where the sensor incorporates a low cost integrated circuit adapted for providing amplification or other desired conditioning of such initial, condition-responsive signals which are within said general range; where the sensor incorporates calibration means which are electrically actuatable to permit reliable, low cost calibration of each condition-responsive element with its integrated circuit after the element, circuit, and calibration means have been assembled on a common sensor support or housing; and where the condition-responsive element and circuit incorporated in the sensor have sufficiently low temperature sensitivity and sufficiently wide temperature and service life stability to cooperate with the scaleability of the condition-responsive element and with the low cost calibration of the sensor circuit to provide the sensor with widely applicable performance capabilities.
It is an object of this invention to provide a novel and improved condition-responsive sensor; to provide such a sensor which is adapted for more universal application; to provide such a sensor having a condition responsive element to furnish an initial electrical signal and having a signal-conditioning integrated circuit mounted on a common support and having electrically actuatable means mounted on the support for calibrating the element and circuit relative to each other after assembly on the support; to provide such a condition responsive element which is scalable for providing initial condition responsive signals within the same general range for various selected ranges of applied pressure or other condition being monitored; to provide a novel and improved pressure or position sensor having a capacitive pressure transducer and a reference capacitor connected in a charge-locked loop relation to form a capacitance-to-voltage converter circuit which delivers improved accuracy and has improved responsiveness to small changes in transducer capacitance; to provide such a sensor having an integrated circuit with electrically actuatable on-chip means for calibrating the circuit relative to a capacitive transducer or other condition responsive element after assembly of the element and circuit on a common support or housing; to provide such a sensor having means for separately calibrating sensor bias and gain and non-linearity; and to provide such a sensor employing variable capacitor means for calibrating bias and gain with improved temperature and service life stability.
Briefly described, the novel and improved condition responsive sensor of this invention comprises a selectively scaled condition responsive element such as a capacitive pressure transducer which is mounted on a common support or housing with an analog signal conditioning circuit or the like, preferably embodied in an integrated circuit implemented in CMOS technology or the like. In a preferred embodiment, the condition-responsive element comprises a capacitive pressure transducer having a pressure responsive diaphragm for varying transducer capacitance within a selected range in response to variation in pressure forces applied to the diaphragm and the diaphragm structure is such that its thickness is easily modified to provide the diaphragm with any of a plurality of selected different resilient flexibilities to scale the transducer to vary transducer capacitance within said selected range in response to various ranges of pressure applied to the respective diaphragm thicknesses. In accordance with the invention, the sensor includes calibrating means which are provided on the common support with the condition-responsive element and the integrated circuit and which preferably are electrically actuatable on the support for calibrating the condition-responsive element and sensor circuit relative to each other after they have been assembled on the common support or housing. In one preferred embodiment, the calibrating means comprise separately settable potentiometers for calibrating sensor bias and gain where the potentiometers are adapted to be adjustably set for calibrating the sensor and to be fixed at that setting. In another preferred embodiment, the integrated circuit incorporates two digital-to-analog (D/A) converters attached to a serial-in, parallel-out shift register which can be loaded via data and clock input means during calibration of the sensor and permanently fixed in memory means by fusing of links or floating gate means in associated integrated circuit switches so that each D/A converter receives one-half the data in the register for regulating bias and gain calibration respectively.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, a capacitive pressure transducer and a reference capacitor are connected in a charge-locked loop relation having a common node for forming a capacitance-to-voltage converter circuit which is ratiometric with respect to supply voltage to vary output voltage within a selected range in response to variation in transducer capacitance in a corresponding range. An array of switches cycles the voltage across the transducer and reference capacitors with opposite transitions with a predetermined frequency so that change in transducer capacitance results in a differential voltage at the common node. That voltage is then amplified or otherwise conditioned to drive a current source-sink network to adjust the sensor output voltage and, by a feedback path, to restore a balance condition at the node, thereby to maintain the sensor output voltage at a level inversely proportional to the transducer capacitance.
In another preferred embodiment, a capacitive pressure transducer and a selectively variable capacitor are arranged with a common node such that the transducer capacitor and variable capacitor form a charge-locked loop detector with respect to the same common node. An array of switches then cycles the voltage across the capacitors between voltages dependent upon the supply voltage and output voltage in accordance with a variation in transducer capacitance in a manner corresponding to other embodiments of the invention as described above. In that arrangement, the variable capacitor is adjustable or electrically actuatable with data stored via fusable links or floating gates as described above for calibrating the sensor.
Other objects, advantages and details of the novel and improved condition-responsive sensor of this invention appear in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, the detailed description referring to the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a condition-responsive sensor of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a section view along line 2--`of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an analog signal conditioning circuit embodied in one preferred embodiment of the sensor of this invention;
FIG. 4 is a wave diagram illustrating operation of the circuit shown in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a schematic view of another analog signal conditioning circuit embodied in another alternate preferred embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 6 is a schematic view of another signal-conditioning circuit embodied in another alternate preferred embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 7 is a plan view of an electrically actuatable calibration means used in one preferred embodiment of the sensor of this invention.
Referring to the drawings, 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicates the novel and improved condition-responsive sensor of this invention which is shown to include a condition-responsive element such as a capacitive pressure transducer 12 having a ceramic substrate 14. The transducer is preferably fitted against one side of an annular supporting portion of a sensor body 18 of a thermoplastic material or the like and has a metal support ring 16secured to an opposite side of the transducer periphery by a cup-shaped metal cap 20 which is swaged over a peripheral portion of the transducer, an O-ring gasket 21, a pliable teflon-coated polymide film 23, the ring 16, and a portion of the body to form a sensor housing for support assembly. The cap is preferably formed inwardly as at 20.2, for compressing and positioning the O-ring gasket over the pliable film 23 to real the sensor. Preferably three electrically conductive terminals 22 aremolded into the body extending from the body chamber 24 into a protective sleeve 26 to permit electrical connection to be made to the terminals fromoutside the body. The cap 20 is adapted to fit into an opening 27 in a well28 for permitting the sensor to be exposed to a fluid pressure in the well as indicated by the arrow 30 in FIG. 1, the cap having an opening 20.1 exposing the transducer 12 to that fluid pressure while permitting the gasket 21 and film 23 to seal the sensor electronics from the pressure.
In a preferred embodiment, the transducer 12 has a first electrically conductive metal capacitor plate 32 formed on one side of the substrate 14and has a corresponding metal plate 34 carried on a resiliently flexible diaphragm 40. The diaphragm is secured to a portion of the substrate 14 spaced inwardly from the periphery of the substrate by use of glass seal means 36 for disposing the metal plate 34 in spaced, parallel, overlying relation to the first capacitor plate to serve as a second movable capacitor plate. The second capacitor plate is movable toward and away from the first capacitor plate in response to variation of the pressure force 30 applied to the diaphragm so that the transducer 12 comprises a variable capacitor having a capacitance which varies with changes in the pressure condition in the well 28.
In a preferred embodiment, signal-conditioning means 43 such as electronic circuit means embodied in an integrated circuit 44, resistor means diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 2 at 45, and a reference capacitor diagrammatically illustrated at 46 in FIG. 2 are mounted on an opposite side of the substrate 14 and circuit paths diagrammatically illustrated at48, 50 conneted to the integrated circuit, resistor means, and reference capacitor are connected to transducer capacitor plates by pins 52, 54. Thesignal-conditioning means are also connected to the sensor terminals 22 either directly or by lead wires or the like as diagrammatically shown in FIG. 2. In that arrangement, the transducer 12 is adapted to provide an initial electrical signal such as change in capacitance in the transducer in response to change in the pressure condition 30 and the signal-conditioning means are adapted to amplify, convert and/or otherwisecondition the initial electrical signal to provide an electrical output signal at the terminals 22 for performing a desired control function as will be understood.
In accordance with the invention, the condition-responsive element such as the capacitive transducer 12 is selected to provide said initial electrical signal within a first general signal range in response to changes in the pressure or other condition being monitored while those conditions vary over a second general pressure range. For example, in a preferred embodiment, the first and second capacitor plates in the transducer 12 have a diameter of about 0.5 inches and an initial spacing of about 0.001 inches and the diaphragm 40 has a selected thickness permitting the transducer capacitor to vary in capacitance from about 30 to 60 picofarads as the applied pressure varies from about 0 to 450 psi. However, the condition-responsive structure is particularly selected to beeasily scalable so that the element is adapted to provide the initial electrical signals varying in the same first range even though the elementis scaled to respond to variation of the monitored conditions over a variety of second ranges. In the transducer 12 for example, the thickness of the diaphragm 40 is easily scaled to provide change in capacitance overthe same range for many different ranges of the pressure 30. In that way, the same signal-conditioning means incorporated in the sensor is adapted to be used in sensing a wide variety of conditions being monitored by substitution of a specific pressure transducer so that the signal-conditioning means used in the sensor are particularly suited for low cost, large volume manufacture. It is also desirable that the condition responsive element 12 be operable over wide temperature ranges and that the performance characteristics of the transducer be relatively insensitive to such changes in temperature to permit more precise matchingbetween the transducer and signal-conditioning means even where the sensor 10 is used in automotive applications an the like where severe ranges of temperature and other environmental conditions are encountered. As the transducer 12 is more fully described in the commonly-owned, copending application Ser. No. 859,566 filed of even date herewith for "Pressure Sensor with Improved Capacitive Pressure Transducer", the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference, and as other conventional condition-responsive elements can also be used in the sensor 10, the transducer 12 is not further described herein and it will be understood that any condition-responsive pressure or position transducer or the like adapted to provide an initial electrical signal in response to a change ina condition being monitored is used in the sensor 10 within the scope of this invention.
In accordance with this invention, the transducer 12 and signal-conditioning circuit 43 are mounted on a common support or housing as illustrated and calibration means as are more fully described below arealso mounted on the common support for calibrating the transducer and signal-conditioning means relative to each other after they have been assembled on the common support. Preferably the calibration means are selected to be electrically actuatable within the integrated circuit to adapt the sensor 10 for low cost, high volume manufacture and automated calibration to adapt the sensor for wide application. Preferably for example, where the transducer as mounted on the support is adapted to provide initial electrical signals within a first predetermined range in response to occurrence of selected conditions in a zone to be monitored, and where the signal-conditioning means as mounted on the support is adapted to provide selected electrical output signals within a second predetermined range for performing selected control functions, the calibration means provided within the integrated circuit is adapted to be adjustable over a sufficient range for calibrating the transducer and signal-conditioning means relative to each other to provide said selected output signals in response to the occurrence of any of said selected conditions to be monitored.
In accordance with this invention, the signal-conditioning means 43 preferably comprises a capacitance-to-voltage converter circuit such as isschematically illustrated in FIG. 3. Preferably for example, the variable capacitor of the capacitive pressure transducer 12 is connected in a charge-locked loop relation with the reference capacitor 46 for forming a common node 58 between the capacitors. A quad array of switches 60, 62, 64, 66 is then arranged as shown so that closing of pairs of the switches 60, 62, and 64, 66 in alternate sequence is adapted to apply selected alternate voltages of opposite polarity to the capacitors and node 58 for establishing a selected voltage level at the common node. The common node is connected through a limiting resistor 67, three linear inverter stages 68, and a flip-flop 70 to a current source-sink-integrate network constituted by the limiting resistor 71, integrating capacitor 72, and theoperational amplifier 74 for providing output voltage signals at the outputmeans 76 which are inversely proportional to the value of the transducer capacitance 58 and ratiometric with supply voltage as applied at input terminal means 78. Preferably the output means comprises an output node 80and an additional amplification stage constituted by the filter resistor 82, filter capacitor 84, operational amplifier 86, voltage divider resistors 88, and gain resistor 90. The output node 80 is connected through the voltage divider resistors 92, 93 to provide output voltage feedback to one switch 62 of the quad array and two of the other switches 64, 66 in the array are connected to the supply voltage through the calibration means constituted by the potentiometers 94 and 96 respectively. The fourth switch 60 is connected to the supply voltage through a limiting resistor 97 as shown. A clock means 98 associated with timing resistor 99 and timing capacitors 100, 101 in conventional manner is connected via a second flip-flop 102 to a switch 103 arranged to shunt one inverter stage 68. That flip-flop 102 is further connected via Schmidt-triggered inverters 104, 106, 108 arranged with appropriate delay resistors 110 and delay capacitors 111, 112, for operating the first flip-flop 70 and the alternate pairs of switches 60, 62, and 64, 66 respectively in a predetermined sequence to cycle the transducer capacitor12 and the reference capacitor 46 at a predetermined frequency between for example, the potentiometer voltage 94 and supply voltage of the circuit atone polarity and between the potentiometer voltage 96 and the portion of the output voltage at the node between resistors 93 and 93 at opposite polarity respectively. As will be understood, the potentiometers 94, 96 are adjustable for adjusting the voltage supplied to the transducer and reference capacitors in calibrating the sensor 10. That is, calibrated output voltage varies with transducer capacitance in accordance with the following relationship:
(Vccfb-Voutfo) cx=(Vcc-fxVcc) cb
Vcc=supply voltage (78)
Vout=output voltage (80)
cx=transducer capacitance (12)
cb=reference capacitance (46)
fb=fraction of supply voltage at potentiometer (96)
fo=fraction of output voltage at voltage divider (92,93)
fv=fraction of supply voltage at potentiometer (94)
In one embodiment, the potentiometers are conventional screw-adjustable type and are mounted on the sensor to be adjustable after the sensor is assembled on the sensor support means as is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 2 by the resistor adjusting opening 114. Alternately, in preferredembodiments of the invention, the calibrating means are electrically actuatable to effect calibration after assembly on the sensor support as described further below.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention as described with reference toFIG. 3, the following conventional components are used in the signal-conditioning means as above described:
______________________________________REFERENCE COMPONENT______________________________________Timer 98 TLC 555Flip-flop CD 4013Linear Inverter 68 CD 4069Schmidt triggered Inverter CD 40106104, 106, 108Operational Amplifier 74, 76 7621 BCNSwitch 60, 62, 64, 66 CD 4066Switch 103 CD 4016Reference capacitor 46 27 picofaradsTransducer capacitor 12 30 to 60 picofaradsFilter capacitor 72, 84, 101 .01 microfaradsDelay capacitor 112 .001 microfaradsDelay capacitor 111 200 picofaradsTiming capacitor 100 500 picofaradsVoltage Divider Resistors 88 47K ohmsLimiting Resistors 71, 82 1 megohmVoltage Divider Resistors 92 3.3K ohmsVoltage Divider Resistors 93 1K ohmsLimiting Resistor 67 1K ohmLimiting Resistor 97 750 ohmsDelay Resistor 110 4.7K ohmsTiming Resistor 99 22K ohmsPotentiometer 94, 96 0 to 10K ohmsGain Resistor 90 22K ohms______________________________________
All components identified by Catalog Number are manufactured by Texas Instruments Incorporated or equivalent.
Where the supply voltage is typically in the range from about 4 to 6 volts and the clock means 98 is operating at a frequency of 33 kilohertz, the inverter switch 103, the alternate pairs of switches 60, 62 and 64, and 66, and the flip-flop 70 are sequenced at 30 microsecond intervals dl, with the switch pairs and the flip-flop being operated with one microsecond d2 and six microsecond d3 delays respectively after the inverter switch operation as indicated in the wave diagram of FIG. 4.
In that arrangement, where the pressure 30 being monitored is stable and atthe lower level of the pressure range to be monitored, the transducer capacitor 12 and reference capacitor 46, and thus common node 58 are cycled between the potentiometer voltage 94 and supply voltage of the circuit at one polarity and between the potentiometer voltage 96 and the fraction of the output voltage at the node between resistors 92 and 93 at opposite polarity, that output voltage as fed back to the switch 62 being modified by the voltage divider means 92, 93 as may be desired. A voltage level is therefore established at the common node 58 to drive the current source-sink-integrate network 69 constituted by the resistor 71, capacitor72, and operational amplifier 74 to establish an analog output voltage level at the node 80 corresponding to the ratio between the reference and transducer capacitors. The potentiometer 94 is then adjustable (with the pressure 30 at its lower level) to provide bias calibration for the sensorsuch that the output voltage is set at 0 for example at the lower level of the desired output voltage range at the node 80. Then with the pressure 30at the upper level of its desired range likely to be encountered in the zone to be monitored, the potentiometer 96 is adjusted to provide primarily gain calibration of the sensor to set the output voltage at node80 to the upper side of its desired output voltage range. In that arrangement, where the fluid pressure 30 is in stable condition at any point within the pressure range to be monitored, the output voltage at node 80 is inversely proportional to the capacitance in the transducer capacitor 12 and the transducer capacitance is inversely proportional to the gap between the transducer capacitor plates. Thus, if the pressure 30 is increased for increasing the transducer capacitance, the cycling of thetransducer and reference capacitors as above described establishes a differential voltage at the common node 58 to drive the current source-sink-integrate network and increase the output voltage at node 80, that output voltage being then fed back via the switch 62 to null the described differential voltage at the common node and maintain the output voltage inversely proportional to the now higher transducer capacitance. As will be under stood, the reference and transducer capacitors can be reversed in the described capacitance-to-voltage converter circuit so thatthe circuit is also adapted to serve as direct rather than inverse capacitance detector as will be understood. Although in some embodiments of the sensor of this invention, the signal-conditioning means can comprise conventional phase-locked amplifier circuits or synchronous modulated-demodulated circuits for converting small transducer capacitances to output voltages ratiometeric with respect to circuit supply voltages in conventional manner, the charged-locked loop capacitance-to-voltage converter circuit as above-described is found to operate significantly faster in terms of capacitance comparisions in pressure and to provide significantly greater accuracy for use over a widetemperature range by avoiding errors due to junction leakage currents and minimizing offset voltage errors such as are experienced with circuits previously known.
In another preferred embodiment of the sensor 210 of this invention as shown in FIG. 5, wherein components comparable to those shown in FIG. 3 are identified with corresponding reference numerals, the signal-conditioning means are particularly adapted to be incorporated in an integrated circuit diagrammatically indicated by broken lines 243 in FIG. 5 and to be implemented in bipolar or CMOS technology or the like. Inthis embodiment for example, the transducer capacitor 212 and reference capacitor 246 are arranged in charge-locked loop relation with a common node 258 and with an array of switches 260, 262, 264, 266 for cycling the transducer capacitor, reference capacitor, and common node between voltages as previously described with references to FIG. 3 for driving a current source-sink network 269, and integrating capacitor 272, and voltage follower 274, the resistor 267, linear inverters 268, and flip-flop 270, the described circuit having corresponding clock means (notshown) for operating the inverter switch 303, the flip-flop 270, and the switches 260, 262, 264, 266 in predetermined sequence at a predetermined frequency as previously described. Preferably where a guard or shield is used in the transducer as shown in the commonly owned patent application filed of even date herewith as noted above, the guard or shield as diagrammatically illustrated at 263 in FIG. 5 are electrically connected to a voltage source diagrammatically illustrated at 269 in FIG. 5 to be held at the typical voltage level of the common node 258 for substantiallyshielding the node area of the transducer.
In this embodiment of the invention, the calibration means are integrally incorporated on-chip in the integrated circuit 243 to be mounted on a common support in the sensor 210 with the circuit and with the transducer 212 to be actuated by electrical input through the integrated circuit to calibrate the circuit 243 relative to the transducer after assembly on thecommon support. Preferably for example, the calibration means comprises a shift register 316 receiving clock input and calibrating data at 318, 320 respectively in conventional manner for cooperating with memory means 322 in conventional manner such that calibration data for the sensor 210 is adapted to be entered into the memory via the shift register from sensor testing apparatus (not shown) while the pressure in the zone to be monitored is set first as indicated at 30 at the desired low level and then at the desired high level of the monitoring range as previously described. That is, the sensor is first subjected to calibration testing at each of the high and low pressure levels and additional calibration data is inserted into the register as necessary to adjust the sensor output voltages within the desired output voltage range to provide bias and gain calibration for the sensor as will be understood. Preferably for example, the shift register comprises a conventional series-in, parallel-out register adapted to receive and provide a twenty-bit calibration word to the memory. A pair of digital-to-analog converters 324, 326 of conventional type are each arranged to receive one-half the data or a ten-bit word from the memory for inserting appropriate bias and gain calibration respectively into the signal-conditioning circuit 243. Preferably the memory means 322 comprises non-volatile fusible metal link memory means or the like and includes permanent programming means as indicated diagrammatically at 328 in FIG. 5 for fixing the calibrating data in the memory after sensor calibration. Where the circuit is implemented in either bipolar polar or CMOS technology or the like, a verysmall change in transducer capacitance in the range of 10% to 50% as typical is adapted to be precisely reflected in a full range of output voltage for the sensor. Typically the digital-to-analog converters incorporate, or cooperate with, a conventional resistor array or the like for inserting bias and gain calibration resistances in the signal-conditioning circuit to effect calibration in a manner similar to the FIG. 3 embodiment of the invention. In this way, the D/A convertors are adapted to provide convenient automatic serial programming during sensor calibration for providing low cost sensors adapted to display high precision condition sensing which are easily adapted for serving in many different sensor applications. It will be understood that the signal-conditioning means of the invention is also adapted to provide analog output signals or digital output within the scope of this invention. Similarly although fusible metal link memory means are shown tobe incorporated in the calibration means of the circuit, EPROM means or other comparable memory means can also be used within the scope of the invention.
In another alternate embodiment of the sensor 410 of this invention, as is partially illustrated in FIG. 6, wherein com-parable reference numerals are also used, sensor calibration is partially achieved by adjustment of avariable capacitor as an alternate calibration means. In this embodiment, the variable transducer capacitor 412 is arranged in a charged-locked looprelation with a reference capacitor 446 which is also variable, the transducer and first reference capacitor each being connected to a common node 458. An array of switches 460, 462, 464, 466 and voltage divider means 492,493 are arranged in an integrated circuit 443 in a manner similar to the switch array and feedback in embodiments of the invention previously described to cycle the capacitors are previously described. As will be understood the reference capacitor 446 is adjustable in any conventional manner for achieving some calibration of the circuit.
If desired, calibrating adjustment of the variable reference and transducercapacitors is further accomplished by use of electrically actuable means ina manner corresponding to FIG. 5 as is diagrammatically indicated at 544 and 546 in FIG. 6 in accordance with this invention. That is, a shift register receives and provides a calibration word to a memory comprising non-volatile fusible metal link memory means as previously described and permanent programming means fix the calibration data in the memory means. Digital-to-analog converter means respond to the calibration data in the memory to cooperate with a conventional capacitor array (not shown) in theintegrated circuit 443 for inserting bias and gain calibration capacitancesinto the circuit of FIG. 6 as above described. It will be understood that full calibration of the sensor of this invention by means of adjusting variable capacitors is within the scope of the present invention.
In another alternate embodiment of the sensor of this invention, the sensorcircuits substantially correspond to the sensor 10 previously described with reference to FIG. 3. However, in this embodiment of the invention 610as shown in FIG. 7, the bias and gain calibration means incorporated in thecircuit each comprise an electrically settable potentiometer means as diagrammatically illustrated at 694 in FIG. 8.
That is, a potentiometer 694 is substituted in the signal-conditioning circuit of sensor 610 to correspond to each of the potentiometers 94, 96 described with reference to FIG. 3. In the potentiometer 694, an electrically conductive metal grid 696 is formed on an insulating base 698of silicon or the like by deposition of a metal ink or in other conventional manner so that the grid has a plurality of connector bars 700arranged in a row connected at one end to a common bus 702. Each connector bar has a portion 700.1 of relatively small cross section and a thick filmresistor 704 is deposited over the bars to be electrically connected to each bar between the smaller bar portion 700.1 and an opposite end 700.2 of the bar. One end of the resistor is connected to the sensor supply voltage as is diagrammatically indicated at 706 in FIG. 7 while the opposite end of bar 702 is connected to ground via a pull down resistor 705. A wiper arm 708, which can be part of the potentiometer 694 or part of a sensor testing apparatus within the scope of this invention, is movedslideably along the section 704 to make electrical engagement with the opposite end 700.2 of the connector bars in selected sequence as indicatedby the arrow 710. Use of the potentiometer to introduce bias or gain calibration within the circuit of the sensor 610 is then tested as above described with reference to FIG. 3. If the resistance interposed in the sensor circuit by the potentiometer 694 in this manner is insufficient forfully calibrating the sensor while the wiper arm is electrically engaged with a specific connector bar, a high intensity electrical pulse is provided to that bar from a calibrating power source 711 via the wiper armand switch means 712 diagrammatically shown in FIG. 7 for overloading the bar to evaporate the small cross-section portion 700.1 of the bar as indicated at 700.1a in FIG. 7. The wiper arm is then moved to sequentiallyengage the next connector bar in the sequence as sown in FIG. 7 to continuewith the calibration process. As will be understood, the provision of the noted calibrating pulse is adapted to be automated in any conventional manner for calibrating the sensor 610 at low cost. It should be understoodthat although particular embodiments of this 10 invention have been described by way of illustrating the invention, other embodiments of the invention are also possible. For example, although the capacitive pressuretransducer is illustrated as having a movable plate with an air dielectric,a comparable transducer having fixed plates and a movable dielectric can also be used within the scope of this invention. This invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the disclosed embodiments following within the scope of the appended claims.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|14 May 1947
|30 Jan 1951
|Foxboro Co
|Pressure measuring device
|30 Nov 1953
|21 Oct 1958
|Bourns Inc
|Pressure responsive instrument
|17 May 1954
|6 Jan 1959
|Statham Instrument Inc
|Pressure sensitive resistor
|24 May 1957
|27 Dec 1960
|Aerojet General Co
|Pressure switch
|1 Jul 1957
|24 Jan 1961
|Cons Electrodynamics Corp
|Differential transducer
|17 Sep 1956
|12 Sep 1961
|Trans Sonics Inc
|Pressure sensing instrument
|26 Jun 1959
|29 May 1962
|Hise Eugene C
|Metal diaphragm pumps
|24 Dec 1958
|31 Jul 1962
|Taylor Instrument Co
|Pressure responsive device
|23 Jan 1962
|28 May 1963
|F W Dwyer Mfg Company
|Pressure gauge
|18 Jan 1960
|25 Jun 1963
|American Radiator & Standard
|Differential pressure gauge
|23 Apr 1959
|9 Jul 1963
|Bendix Corp
|20 Mar 1961
|14 Jan 1964
|Bendix Corp
|Temperature sensitive differential pressure responsive device
|19 Jul 1960
|17 Mar 1964
|Primary differential pressure sensing
|12 Jun 1961
|17 Mar 1964
|Differential pressure responsive device
|26 May 1961
|14 Apr 1964
|Bendix Corp
|Differential pressure responsive device
|13 May 1963
|24 Nov 1964
|Honeywell Inc
|13 May 1963
|24 Nov 1964
|Honeywell Inc
|1 Jun 1962
|18 May 1965
|Delman Co
|Differential fluid pressure motors
|17 Jul 1962
|2 Nov 1965
|Gen Time Corp
|Temperature compensated magnetic oscillator
|22 Sep 1961
|15 Feb 1966
|Collins Corp G L
|Movable core transducer
|10 Jul 1964
|8 Mar 1966
|Northern Electric Co
|Temperature compensator in multivibrator circuits
|25 Jan 1963
|19 Jul 1966
|Beal Robert E
|Multiple hydrogenation insert
|30 Sep 1963
|26 Jul 1966
|Jr Somers H Smith
|Differential pressure gage
|4 Jun 1965
|13 Dec 1966
|Lee Shih-Ying
|Differential pressure responsive device
|2 Jan 1964
|21 Feb 1967
|Tri Meter Mfg Co
|Pressure differental indicating system for fluid flow
|23 Jul 1965
|11 Apr 1967
|Statham Instrument Inc
|High overload pressure transducer
|16 May 1966
|9 May 1967
|Rosemount Eng Co Ltd
|Diode loop capacitor comparative circuit including a pair of transformer windings coupled in phase
|4 Aug 1965
|9 May 1967
|Gen Time Corp
|Temperature compensated, frequency stabilized magnetic oscillator
|6 Aug 1964
|30 May 1967
|Fischer & Porter Co
|Flow leak detector
|28 Apr 1965
|19 Sep 1967
|Gen Electric
|Pressure-measuring device
|23 Nov 1964
|26 Sep 1967
|Hitachi Ltd
|Differential pressure transmitters
|17 Jun 1965
|14 Nov 1967
|Seegmiller Henry L B
|Inertia diaphragm pressure transducer
|11 Apr 1966
|12 Mar 1968
|Gen Electric
|Compensation system for differential pressure measuring device
|31 Mar 1966
|13 Aug 1968
|Dwyer Mfg Co F W
|Differential pressure indicator and switch
|7 Nov 1966
|15 Oct 1968
|United Aircraft Corp
|Pressure transducer
|22 Jul 1966
|20 May 1969
|Statham Instrument Inc
|Square root responsive pressure transducers
|9 Oct 1967
|31 Mar 1970
|Bendix Corp
|Method of fabricating a pressure transducer
|25 Nov 1968
|9 Feb 1971
|Gen Radio Co
|Impedance-measuring transformer bridge with automatic digital balancing circuit
|27 Oct 1969
|9 Nov 1971
|Rosemount Eng Co Ltd
|Differential pressure transducer
|16 Apr 1970
|29 Feb 1972
|Bendix Corp
|Quartz pressure sensor
|27 Oct 1969
|29 Feb 1972
|Rosemount Eng Co Ltd
|Transducer circuitry for converting a capacitance signal to a dc current signal
|15 May 1970
|17 Oct 1972
|Bendix Corp
|Pressure responsive transducer
|5 Nov 1969
|28 Nov 1972
|Globe Universal Sciences
|Capacitance variometer
|10 May 1971
|6 Feb 1973
|Bendix Corp
|Temperature compensator for capacitive pressure transducers
|1 Jun 1971
|3 Apr 1973
|Arctic Roof Deicing Corp
|Heat radiating assembly and apparatus for permitting ice blocked water to drain off of house roofs
|7 Sep 1972
|24 Jul 1973
|Kulite Semiconductors Products
|Pressure sensitive transducers employing capacitive and resistive variations
|25 Sep 1967
|7 Aug 1973
|Bissett Berman Corp
|Pressure transducer
|10 Aug 1971
|2 Apr 1974
|Bendix Corp
|Method and apparatus for providing a nonlinear pressure transducer output signal
|28 Mar 1973
|28 Jun 1974
|Bendix Corp
|Capacitance to frequency transducer
|17 Jan 1973
|12 Nov 1974
|Gulton Ind Inc
|Pressure transducer
|26 Dec 1973
|31 Dec 1974
|Bendix Corp
|Pressure-sensing capacitor
|24 May 1973
|29 Apr 1975
|Bunker Ramo
|Pressure transducer
|29 Nov 1974
|16 Mar 1976
|Motorola, Inc.
|Intracranial pressure sensing device
|2 Dec 1974
|20 Apr 1976
|Donald Jack Birchall
|Pressure transducers
|11 Jun 1976
|18 Oct 1977
|Setra Systems, Inc.
|Capacitance measuring system
|1 Aug 1977
|24 Apr 1979
|Kavlico Corporation
|Capacitive pressure transducer
|2 Dec 1976
|12 Jun 1979
|Kaylico Corporation
|Capacitive pressure transducer with improved electrode
|19 Sep 1977
|4 Dec 1979
|Kavlico Corporation
|Capacitive pressure transducer
|20 Apr 1978
|10 Jun 1980
|Kavlico Corporation
|Capacitive pressure transducer with cut out conductive plate
|27 May 1980
|6 Apr 1982
|The Bendix Corporation
|Pressure measuring system
|17 Mar 1980
|11 May 1982
|Kavlico Corporation
|Precision capacitance transducer
|3 Dec 1979
|14 Jun 1983
|Kaylico Corporation
|Capacitive pressure transducer
|27 Jul 1981
|28 Jun 1983
|Rosemount Inc.
|Capacitance pressure sensor
|2 Jul 1981
|16 Aug 1983
|Kavlico Corporation
|Linear capacitive pressure transducer system
|3 Jun 1982
|17 Jan 1984
|Kavlico Corporation
|Liquid capacitance pressure transducer technique
|13 Mar 1980
|17 Jan 1984
|Kavlico Corporation
|Capacitive pressure transducer and method of making same
|27 Jan 1982
|6 Mar 1984
|Asea Aktiebolag
|Integrated capacitive transducer
|13 Jul 1981
|22 May 1984
|The Bendix Corporation
|Pressure measurement system with a constant settlement time
|16 Mar 1981
|3 Jul 1984
|The Bendix Corporation
|Differential pressure measuring system
|15 Jun 1982
|14 May 1985
|Olumpus Optical Company Limited
|Video recording system
|29 May 1984
|1 Oct 1985
|Kavlico Corporation
|Variable current transducer system
|5 Jan 1984
|5 Nov 1985
|Motorola, Inc.
|Electronic pressure transducer
|31 Jan 1985
|14 Oct 1986
|Motorola, Inc.
|Capacitive pressure transducer
|10 Dec 1985
|14 Oct 1986
|Kavlico Corporation
|High pressure capacitive transducer
|13 May 1985
|2 Dec 1986
|The Scott & Fetzer Company
|Capacitive digital integrated circuit pressure transducer
|19 Nov 1985
|21 Jul 1987
|Kavlico Corporation
|Dual diaphragm differential pressure transducer
|11 Mar 1986
|5 Apr 1988
|Kavlico Corporation
|Dual diaphragm differential pressure transducer
|2 May 1970
|11 Nov 1971
|Kleinwaechter Hans
|Pressure gauge with double quartz glass diaphragm
|Title not available
|Title not available
|Dean R. Harrison et al. A Two Wire IC Compatible Capacitive Transducer Circuit Vol. 41; No. 12 Nov. 1970 The Review of Scientific Instruments.
|Dean R. Harrison et al.--A Two-Wire IC Compatible Capacitive Transducer Circuit--Vol. 41; No. 12--Nov. 1970--The Review of Scientific Instruments.
|J. Landard et al. A Sensitive Nonmagnetic Transducer for Use at Very Low Temperature Vol. 41, No. 1 Mar. 1970 The Review of Scientific Instruments.
|J. Landard et al.--A Sensitive Nonmagnetic Transducer for Use at Very Low Temperature--Vol. 41, No. 1--Mar. 1970--The Review of Scientific Instruments.
|Publication: Automotive Electronics In A Fast Changing World; Electro/81 Professional Program Session Record; Mohammed Faheem Akram, 1981.
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|21 Jan 1992
|14 Jun 1994
|Witney Keith C
|Calibrated sensor systems and methods of manufacturing same
|10 Nov 1992
|6 Sep 1994
|Fuji Koki Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
|Pressure sensor
|14 Sep 1994
|2 Apr 1996
|Fisher Controls International, Inc.
|Electro-pneumatic converter calibration
|15 May 1998
|4 Jan 2000
|Texas Instruments Incorporated
|Voltage regulated pressure transducer apparatus
|8 May 1998
|17 Oct 2000
|Fujikoki Corporation
|Pressure sensor including a joint for connecting a housing and connector case together
|16 Nov 1999
|9 Apr 2002
|Micronas Gmbh
|Semiconductor component
|19 Apr 1999
|16 Apr 2002
|Nagano Keiki Co., Ltd.
|Self-calibrating sensor
|13 Apr 1999
|14 May 2002
|Nagano Keiki Co., Ltd.
|Signal processing circuit of sensor
|7 Mar 2000
|19 Nov 2002
|Rosemount Inc.
|Selectable on-off logic modes for a sensor module
|7 Mar 2000
|3 Dec 2002
|Rosemount Inc.
|Preinstallation of a pressure sensor module
|3 Dec 1999
|31 Dec 2002
|Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
|Dynamically configurable ultrasound transducer with integral bias regulation and command and control circuitry
|15 May 2000
|7 Jan 2003
|Rosemount Inc.
|Process control transmitter having an externally accessible DC circuit common
|27 Sep 2000
|28 Jan 2003
|Rosemount Inc.
|Environmentally sealed instrument loop adapter
|29 Dec 2000
|11 Mar 2003
|Micronas Gmbh
|30 May 2001
|15 Apr 2003
|Rosemount Inc.
|Process fluid transmitter with an environmentally sealed service block
|18 Apr 2002
|27 May 2003
|Rosemount Inc.
|Scalable process transmitter
|7 Mar 2000
|27 May 2003
|Rosemount Inc.
|Component type adaptation in a transducer assembly
|31 Jul 2000
|15 Jul 2003
|Rosemount Inc.
|Modular process transmitter having a scalable EMI/RFI filtering architecture
|22 Sep 2000
|26 Aug 2003
|Rosemount Inc.
|Gas fill system in a pressure transmitter
|28 Sep 2000
|20 Jul 2004
|Rosemount Inc.
|Process transmitter with local databus
|27 May 2003
|31 May 2005
|Rosemount Inc.
|Scalable process transmitter
|14 Feb 2003
|14 Jun 2005
|Robert Bosch Gmbh
|Method for calibrating a sensor and switching arrangement for operating a sensor
|9 Dec 2002
|18 Oct 2005
|Micronas Gmbh
|Sensor with frequency selectable operating modes
|6 Sep 2002
|19 Sep 2006
|Rosemount Inc.
|Low power physical layer for a bus in an industrial transmitter
|16 Jul 2004
|14 Nov 2006
|Rosemount Inc.
|Display for process transmitter
|18 Jul 2002
|26 Dec 2006
|Endress + Hauser Gmbh + Co. Kg
|Pressure sensor
|6 Jun 2007
|19 Aug 2008
|Measurement Specialties, Inc.
|Method of making pressure transducer and apparatus
|30 Jan 2006
|28 Apr 2009
|Rosemount Inc.
|Transmitter with removable local operator interface
|21 Oct 2004
|9 Jun 2009
|Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
|Dynamically configurable ultrasound transducer with integral bias regulation and command and control circuitry
|29 Mar 2004
|10 Aug 2010
|Rosemount Inc.
|Two wire transmitter with isolated can output
|5 Aug 2010
|26 Jun 2012
|Rosemount Inc.
|Two wire transmitter with isolated can output
|4 Mar 2010
|18 Dec 2012
|Rosemount Inc.
|Process variable transmitter with display
|10 Jun 2010
|19 Mar 2013
|Zephyr Technology Corporation
|Electric field sensing device
|6 Feb 2009
|8 Apr 2014
|Itw Metalflex
|Pressure sensor for an electric household appliance and associated method
|31 Oct 2011
|15 Jul 2014
|Rosemount Inc.
|Coplanar process fluid pressure sensor module
|20 May 2014
|5 Sep 2017
|Rosemount Inc.
|Coplanar process fluid pressure sensor module
|14 Feb 2003
|21 Aug 2003
|Klaus Walter
|Method for calibrating a sensor and switching arrangement for operating a sensor
|9 Dec 2002
|27 Nov 2003
|Mario Motz
|6 Sep 2002
|11 Mar 2004
|Trimble Steven R.
|Low power physical layer for a bus in an industrial transmitter
|21 Oct 2004
|10 Mar 2005
|Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
|Dynamically configurable ultrasound transducer with intergral bias regulation and command and control circuitry
|18 Jul 2002
|17 Mar 2005
|Karl-Heinz Banholzer
|Pressure sensor
|6 Feb 2009
|9 Dec 2010
|Itw Metalflex, Druzba Za Proizvodnjo Delov Za Gospodinjske Aparate, D.O.O.
|Pressure sensor for an electric household appliance and associated method
|10 Jun 2010
|9 Jun 2011
|Zephyr Technology Limited
|Electric field sensing device
|31 Oct 2011
|2 May 2013
|Robert C. Hedtke
|Coplanar process fluid pressure sensor module
|4 Nov 2000
|5 Sep 2001
|Micronas GmbH
|18 Jul 2002
|20 Feb 2003
|Endress + Hauser Gmbh + Co. Kg
|Pressure sensor
|U.S. Classification
|702/104, 73/718, 73/724, 361/283.4
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|19 Dec 1994
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|13 Jan 1999
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8
|30 Dec 2002
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 12
|5 May 2006
Owner name: MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED, NEW YORK
Free format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNORS:SENSATA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.;SENSATA TECHNOLOGIES FINANCE COMPANY, LLC;REEL/FRAME:017575/0533
Effective date: 20060427
|22 Jun 2006
Owner name: SENSATA TECHNOLOGIES, INC., MASSACHUSETTS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED;REEL/FRAME:017870/0147
Effective date: 20060427
|17 May 2011
Owner name: SENSATA TECHNOLOGIES, INC., MASSACHUSETTS
Effective date: 20110512
Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED;REEL/FRAME:026293/0352
Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED;REEL/FRAME:026293/0352
Effective date: 20110512
Owner name: SENSATA TECHNOLOGIES MASSACHUSETTS, INC., MASSACHU
Owner name: SENSATA TECHNOLOGIES FINANCE COMPANY, LLC, MASSACH
Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED;REEL/FRAME:026293/0352
Effective date: 20110512