1. An electromagnetic method for determining the flow rate of a medium in a measuring tube, the medium flowing through the measuring tube essentially in the direction of the measuring tube axis, a magnetic field permeating the measuring tube essentially perpendicularly to the measuring tube axis, a measurement voltage being induced in at least one measuring electrode arranged essentially perpendicularly to the measuring tube axis, and the induced measurement voltage yielding information about the volumetric flow of the medium in the measuring tube, wherein a defined test signal is passed to the measuring electrode (3; 4) and using the response signal to the defined test signal (actual value) andor using a reference variable (actual value) determined from the response signal to the defined test signal, it is ascertained whether the measuring electrode (3; 4) provides correct measured values.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the respective actual value is compared with a corresponding predetermined desired value and a malfunction is indicated andor output andor stored if the actual value deviates from the desired value.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2,
wherein a malfunction is indicated andor output only when the actual value lies outside a predetermined tolerance value (A) around the desired value.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the desired value is determined, and stored, as a function of the respective process andor system conditions.
5. The method as claimed in claims 1 to 4,
wherein in the event that the malfunction occurs on account of the formation of a conductive coating (11, 12) on the measuring electrode (3; 4), automatic cleaning of the measuring electrode is activated as soon as a malfunction is indicated andor output.
6. The method as claimed in claims 1 to 4,
wherein in the event that the malfunction occurs on account of the formation of a conductive or non-conductive coating (11; 12) on the measuring electrode (3; 4), indication andor outputting is effected to the effect that the measuring electrode (3; 4) must be cleaned.
7. The method as claimed in claim 5,
wherein the automatic cleaning of the measuring electrode (3; 4) is effected by the application of a direct or alternating current.
8. The method as claimed in claim 5 or 7,
wherein the time for the automatic cleaning of the measuring electrodes (3; 4) is selected such that the coating (11; 12) is removed largely completely from the measuring electrode (3; 4).
9. An apparatus for measuring the flow of a medium which flows through a measuring tube in the direction of the measuring tube axis, having a magnetic arrangement which generates a magnetic field which permeates the measuring tube and runs essentially transversely with respect to the measuring tube axis, having a measuring electrode arrangement which yields a measured value which is dependent on the flow velocity of the medium through the measuring tube, and having a controlevaluation unit which determines the flow rate of the medium in the measuring tube from the measured value,
wherein the evaluationcontrol unit (7) passes a test signal to at least one measuring electrode (3; 4) and
the evaluationcontrol unit (7) uses the response signal (actual value) andor uses a representative reference variable (actual value), determined from the response signal, to determine whether the measuring electrode (3; 4) is yielding correct measured values andor whether the flowmeter is operating correctly.
10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9,
wherein the test signal is preferably a square-wave pulse, the evaluationcontrol unit (7) compares the respectively determined actual value with a corresponding predetermined desired value and, from a deviation between the respectively determined actual value and the predetermined desired value, identifies a malfunction of the measuring electrode (3; 4) andor forwards it to an indicating unit (8) andor outputs it.
11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, the test signal is a square-wave pulse, the evaluationcontrol unit (7) determines the relaxation time (tR-actual) until the signal level of the response signal to the square-wave pulse reaches a predetermined threshold value (US),
the evaluationcontrol unit (7) compares the actual value of the relaxation time (tR-actual) with a predetermined desired value of the relaxation time (tR-desired) and indicates andor outputs a malfunction if the actual value (tR-actual) deviates from the predetermined desired value (tR-desired).
12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 or 11,
wherein the evaluationcontrol unit (7) indicates andor outputs a malfunction only if the actual value that has been determined lies outside a predetermined tolerance value around the desired value.
13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12,
wherein the evaluationcontrol unit (7) determines the desired value under the respectively applicable process andor system conditions, by passing a defined test signal to the measuring electrode (3; 4) and by storing andor outputting andor evaluating the response signal to the test signal andor a reference variable, which is unambiguously determined using the response signal, as desired value.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. Device for manufacturing playing counters (1) and generating drawing sequences (12) to be used in a lottery with a predetermined dividend, the device (A) at least comprising: a printing machine (B), a computer processor (C), readable and writeable memory means (D) incorporating a plurality of registers and a plurality of communication links (E, F, G),
the computer processor (C) being connected to the printing machine (B) by means of a first communication link (E) and the memory means (D) by means of a second communication link (F),
the printing machine (B) being responsive for arranging a start (6) and an end column (8), a number of counter parts (2, 3, 4), each counter part comprising a matrix, and director patterns (14, 14, 14) on each playing counter (1),
the computer processor (C) being arranged to:
obtain playing counter manufacturing data from a first register by means of the second communication link (F), the manufacturing data incorporating numbers representing maximum vertical differences between the start and end positions of each counter part (2, 3, 4),
generate one list of director areas (13) for each counter part (2, 3, 4), the areas (13) comprising a director pattern (14, 14, 14) and being smaller than the associated counter parts (2, 3, 4), the lists being stored in a second register by means of the second communication link (F),
sort the lists in the second register so that director patterns (14, 14, 14) resulting in small vertical differences between the start and end positions of each counter part (2, 3, 4) are arranged to be placed first, the sorted lists being stored in a third register by means of the second communication link (F),
draw a number of director patterns (14, 14, 14) of each counter part (2, 3, 4) using a random number generator from the third register by means of the second communication link (F), the random number generator being arranged to give preference to the beginning of the lists, the lists being stored in a fourth register by means of the second communication link (F),
generate one list of draw series comprising moves for a marker for each counter part (2, 3, 4), which lists, when applied to the director patterns (14, 14, 14) in the fourth register, results in vertical differences between the start and end positions of each counter part (2, 3, 4), the lists being stored in a fifth register by means of the second communication link (F),
read for all playing counters (1) to be manufactured one director pattern (14, 14, 14) for each counter part (2, 3, 4) from the fourth register by means of the second communication link (F) for combining them and determining their positions on counter parts (2, 3, 4) on a playing counter (1),
transmit by means of the first communication link (E) data concerning start and end columns (6, 8), the number of counter parts (2, 3, 4), director patterns (14, 14, 14) and their positions in each counter part (2, 3, 4) to the printing machine (B) for printing the counter parts (2, 3, 4) on a playing counter material.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in, that the sum of the numbers representing vertical differences between the start and end positions is constant for every playing counter (1).
3. Device according to claim 1, characterIzed In, that the number of counter parts (2, 3, 4) is three and the matrices are provided with 11 rows and 6 columns.
4. Device according to claim 1, characterIzed In, that a mark is arranged in the start column (6) in order to indicate a start position.
5. Device according to claim 1, characterIzed In, that the director (9) is an arrow arranged to point in one of the directions of upwards, downwards, right, obliquely upwards and right, and obliquely downwards and right.
6. Device according to claim 1, characterIzed In, that the counter parts (2, 3, 4) are arranged side by side and the start and end columns (6, 8) are arranged to the left and to the right of the parts, respectively.
7. Device according to claim 1, characterIzed In, that playing counter manufacturing data is arranged to be inputted by data input means (G), such as a key board, the data input means (G) being connected to the computer processor (C) or to the machine-readable memory means (D) via a communication link (H).
8. Device according to claim 1, characterIzed In, that the printing machine (B) is also responsive for arranging prize indicators (11) on the playing counters (1).
9. Device according to claim 1, characterIzed In, that the printing machine (B) is also responsive for arranging an opaque scrape-off cover hiding on the start column (6) on the playing counters (1).
10. Device according to claim 1, characterIzed In, that prize indicators (11) are arranged in counter parts (2, 3, 4), in order to indicate a prize winning situation when a predetermined number of indicators (11) have been hit by the marker.
11. Device according to claim 1, characterIzed In, that the number of directors (9) in each director pattern (14, 14, 14) is limited to one, two, or three.