# US 11,029,185 B2 · Tank gauge

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- Number: US 11,029,185 B2
- Document ID: US11029185B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/170,970
- Filed: 2018-10-25
- Published: 2019-05-30
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-11-30
- Assignees: Rampart Strong, LLC
- Applicants: Rampart Strong, LLC
- Inventors: Jonathon Taylor Cozzens; Benjamin Tyler Cozzens; Joshua Tucker Cozzens; Stephen Burton Farnsworth
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029185B2

## CPC

- G01F 23/22: by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water (involving the use of floats G01F23/30)
- G01F 17/00: Methods or apparatus for determining the capacity of containers or cavities, or the volume of solid bodies (measuring linear dimensions to determine volume G01B)
- G01F 22/00: Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material, not otherwise provided for
- G01F 23/804: {containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level}
- G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME

## Abstract

A tank storage measurement device. The tank storage measurement device includes a display screen. The tank storage measurement device is configured to display on the display screen an image of a storage tank. The tank storage measurement device is additionally configured to use the image of the storage tank to identify boundaries of the storage tank and identify a qualitative level of a substance in the storage tank. The tank storage measurement device is additionally configured to generate a quantitative representation of the level of the substance using the identified boundaries and identified qualitative level of the substance. The tank storage measurement device is additionally configured to display on the display screen the generated quantitative representation of the level of the substance.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A tank storage measurement device comprising:
a display screen, the tank storage measurement device being configured to display on the display screen an image of a storage tank,
wherein the tank storage measurement device is additionally configured to use the image of the storage tank to identify boundaries of the storage tank and identify a qualitative level of a substance in the storage tank;
wherein the tank storage measurement device is additionally configured to generate a quantitative representation of the level of the substance using the identified boundaries and identified qualitative level of the substance;
wherein the tank storage measurement device is additionally configured to display on the display screen the generated quantitative representation of the level of the substance; and
wherein the tank storage measurement device is configured to identify the boundaries of the storage tank by graphical user input at user adjustable boundary marker elements displayed on the display screen.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The tank storage measurement device of claim 1, wherein the quantitative representation of the level of the substance comprises a numerical representation of at least one of a level of the tank as a percentage of tank capacity or a volume of the substance in the tank.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The tank storage measurement device of claim 1, wherein the tank storage measurement device is further configured to identify a capacity of tank.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The tank storage measurement device of claim 3, wherein the tank storage measurement device is configured to identify the capacity of the tank using LiDAR or AR measurements.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The tank storage measurement device of claim 3, wherein the tank storage measurement device is configured to identify the capacity of the tank by user input.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The tank storage measurement device of claim 1, wherein the tank storage measurement device is configured to magnify a portion of the image of the storage tank proximate an adjustable boundary marker element when the user provides input at the boundary marker element.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The tank storage measurement device of claim 1, wherein the tank storage measurement device is configured to identify the qualitative level of the substance in the storage tank by graphical user input at a level interface element.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The tank storage measurement device of claim 7, wherein the tank storage measurement device is configured to display on the display screen a live, automatically adjusting, readout of at least one of a height of the substance in the tank, a percent fill of the tank, or a volume of the substance in the tank as the user interacts with the level interface element.

### Claim 9

A method of safely performing storage tank measurements using a tank storage measurement device, the method comprising:
obtaining an image of a tank at the tank storage measurement device;
identifying boundaries of the tank in the image at the tank storage measurement device;
based on differences represented in the image, identifying a qualitative level for a substance in the tank at the tank storage measurement device;
based on the boundaries of the tank in the image and the identified qualitative level for a substance in the tank, generating a quantitative representation of the level of the substance using the identified boundaries and identified qualitative level of the substance;
displaying on a display screen of the tank storage measurement device the generated quantitative representation of the level of the substance in the tank; and
identifying a size of the tank, wherein identifying the size of the tank comprises receiving user input at the display screen for the size of the tank.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein obtaining an image comprises taking a thermal image, and wherein differences represented in the image comprise temperatures differences represented in the image.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein identifying the size of the tank comprises using augmented reality at the tank storage measurement device to measure the size of the tank.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein identifying boundaries of the tank in the image at the tank storage measurement device comprises receiving user input at the display screen moving boundary marker elements to corners of the tank in the image of the tank.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising magnifying portions of the image proximate the user input at the display screen.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein displaying on a display screen of the tank storage measurement device the generated quantitative representation of the level of the substance in the tank comprises displaying on the display screen a live, automatically adjusting readout of at least one of a height of the substance in the tank, a percent fill of the tank, or a volume of the substance in the tank as the user interacts with a level interface element.

### Claim 15

A tank storage measurement device comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to configure a computer system to measure tank storage, including instructions that are executable to configure the computer system to perform at least the following:
obtain an image of a tank at the tank storage measurement device;
identify boundaries of the tank in the image at the tank storage measurement device;
based on differences represented in the image, identify a qualitative level for a substance in the tank at the tank storage measurement device;
based on the boundaries of the tank in the image and the identified qualitative level for a substance in the tank, generate a quantitative representation of the level of the substance using the identified boundaries and identified qualitative level of the substance;
display on a display screen of the tank storage measurement device the generated quantitative representation of the level of the substance in the tank; and
identify a size of the tank, wherein identifying the size of the tank comprises receiving user input at the display screen for the size of the tank.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The tank storage measurement device of claim 15, wherein obtaining an image comprises taking a thermal image, and wherein differences represented in the image comprise temperatures differences represented in the image.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The tank storage measurement device of claim 15, wherein displaying on a display screen of the tank storage measurement device the generated quantitative representation of the level of the substance in the tank comprises displaying on the display screen a live, automatically adjusting readout of at least one of a height of the substance in the tank, a percent fill of the tank, or a volume of the substance in the tank as the user interacts with a level interface element.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The tank storage measurement device of claim 15, wherein identifying the size of the tank comprises using augmented reality at the tank storage measurement device to measure the size of the tank.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The tank storage measurement device of claim 15, wherein identifying boundaries of the tank in the image at the tank storage measurement device comprises receiving user input at the display screen moving boundary marker elements to corners of the tank in the image of the tank.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The tank storage measurement device of claim 19, wherein the one or more computer-readable media have stored thereon instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to configure the computer system to magnify portions of the image proximate the user input at the display screen.
