Sensor systems and methods for remotely monitoring a fluid property
OwnerRyan W. Wilburinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Sensor systems and methods for remotely and wirelessly monitoring fluid properties are provided. The systems and methods employ sensor systems with a first housing having a sensor and a transmitter and a second housing, detachable from the first housing, having a receiver and an indicator, such as, a display for the detected fluid property. The transmitter and receiver use radio waves to communicate electrical signals corresponding to the detected fluid property between remote locations. Aspects of the invention are uniquely adapted for safely remotely mentoring gas pressures from a remote location, but any fluid property may be remotely monitored using aspects of the invention.
Claims24
A sensor system for remotely monitoring a fluid property, the system comprising:
- a sensor adapted to detect a fluid property of a fluid in a first pipeline at a first location and generate an electrical signal corresponding to the detected fluid property, the sensor mounted in a first housing;
- a radio transmitter positioned in the first housing, the radio transmitter configured to receive the electrical signal from the sensor and transmit a radio signal corresponding to the received electrical signal;
- a radio signal receiver positioned in a second housing, the second housing detachably mounted to the first housing and transferrable to a second location, remote from the first location, having a second pipeline in fluid communication with the first pipeline, the radio signal receiver configured to receive the radio signal transmitted by the radio transmitter when the radio signal receiver is positioned in the second location and generate an electrical signal;
- and
- an indicator positioned in the second housing, the indicator configured to receive the electrical signal from the radio signal receiver and generate a signal detectable at the second location.
A method for monitoring a fluid property, the method comprising:
- locating an assembly of a first housing having a fluid property sensor and a radio transmitter and a second housing having a radio receiver and an indicator on a first pipeline having a fluid in a first location, the second housing detachably mounted to the first housing;
- detaching the second housing having the radio receiver and the indicator from the first housing;
- positioning the second housing having the radio receiver and the indicator in a second location, remote from the first location, having a second pipeline in fluid communication with the first pipeline;
- detecting a fluid property with the sensor at the first location;
- transmitting a radio signal corresponding to the detected fluid property from the radio transmitter in the first housing at the first location to the radio receiver in the second housing at the second location;
- emitting a detectable signal from the indicator in the second housing at the second location corresponding to the fluid property detected by the sensor in the first housing at the first location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.