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US 10,704,949 B2Granted
Fluid level sensing utilizing ring-time signatures of a transducer
AssigneeSSI Technologies, Inc.
InventorLawrence B. Reimer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A level measurement system including a tank, a transducer, and a controller. The tank is configured to contain a liquid. The transducer is configured to output an ultrasonic signal into the tank. The controller has a memory and electronic processor. The controller is electrically coupled to the transducer and is configured to determine a ring time of the transducer, and determine a level of the liquid contained within the tank based on the ring time of the transducer.
Claims16
A level measurement system comprising:
- a tank configured to contain a liquid having a surface level;
- a transducer positioned at a predetermined position on a first sidewall of the tank, the transducer configured to output an ultrasonic signal into toward a second sidewall of the tank;
- and
- a controller having a memory and electronic processor, the controller electrically coupled to the transducer, the controller configured to
- determine a ring time of the transducer,
- determine, based on the ring time of the transducer, when the transducer is in an air-coupled state,
- determine the surface level of the fluid to be below the predetermined position when the transducer is in the air-coupled state,
- determine, based on the ring time of the transducer, when the transducer is in a liquid-coupled state, and
- determine the surface level of the fluid to be above the predetermined position when the transducer is in the liquid-coupled state.
6 more elements
A method of determining a level of a fluid in a tank, the method comprising:
- providing a transducer at a predetermined position on a sidewall of the tank;
- activating, via a controller, the transducer;
- determining a ring time of the transducer;
- determining, based on the ring time of the transducer, whether the transducer is in an air-coupled state or a liquid-coupled state;
- determining the level of the fluid to be below the predetermined position when the transducer is in the air-coupled state;
- determining the level of the fluid to be above the predetermined position when the transducer is in the liquid-coupled state, and
- outputting, via the controller, the level of the fluid in the tank.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.