Method and Apparatus for Monitoring, Communicating, and Analyzing the Amount of Fluid in a Tank
AssigneeBreatheWise, LLC
InventorEric Christopher Wise
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for monitoring the mass of a fluid remaining in a tank as the fluid periodically or continuously leaves the tank includes a housing comprising an inlet adapted to be attached to an outlet of the tank and to receive fluid from the tank. A flow meter measures a plurality of flow rate measurements of the fluid as it leaves the tank. At least one processor is configured to determine a mass of the fluid that has left the tank during at least one measurement period, determine a mass of the fluid remaining in the tank based at least partially on an initial mass of the fluid in the tank and the determined mass of the fluid that has left the tank, and generate, based on the mass of the fluid remaining, an indication.
Claims24
A method for monitoring the mass of a fluid remaining in a tank as the fluid periodically or continuously leaves the tank, comprising:
- (a) measuring, with a flow meter in communication with at least one processor, a plurality of flow rate measurements of the fluid as it leaves the tank during at least one measurement period, wherein each flow rate measurement of the plurality of flow rate measurements is determined at a time interval;
- (b) determining, with the at least one processor, a mass of the fluid that has left the tank during the at least one measurement period based at least partially on:
- (i) an averaged value of the plurality of flow rate measurements taken during the at least one measurement period, (ii) a density of the fluid at a pressure and/or temperature of the fluid as it passes through the flow meter, and (iii) the time interval between the plurality of flow rate measurements;
- (c) determining, with the at least one processor, a mass of the fluid remaining in the tank based at least partially on an initial mass of the fluid in the tank and the determined mass of the fluid that has left the tank during the at least one measurement period;
- and
- (d) generating, with the at least one processor and based at least partially on the mass of the fluid remaining in the tank, an indication of at least one of the following:
- a volume of the fluid remaining in the tank, a consumption rate, a consumption rate history, the determined mass of the fluid remaining in the tank, an estimated time remaining before the tank will be empty, or any combination thereof.
A device for monitoring the mass of a fluid remaining in a tank as the fluid periodically or continuously leaves the tank, comprising:
- a housing comprising an inlet adapted to be attached to an outlet of the tank and to receive fluid from the tank;
- a flow meter configured to measure a plurality of flow rate measurements of the fluid as it leaves the tank during at least one measurement period, wherein each flow rate measurement of the plurality of flow rate measurements is determined at a time interval;
- and
- at least one processor in communication with the flow meter, the at least one processor programmed or configured to:
- determine a mass of the fluid that has left the tank during the at least one measurement period based at least partially on:
- an averaged value of the plurality of flow rate measurements taken during the at least one measurement period, a density of the fluid at a pressure and/or temperature of the fluid as it passes through the flow meter, and the time interval between the plurality of flow rate measurements;
- determine a mass of the fluid remaining in the tank based at least partially on an initial mass of the fluid in the tank and the determined mass of the fluid that has left the tank during the at least one measurement period;
- and
- generate, based at least partially on the mass of the fluid remaining in the tank, an indication of at least one of the following:
- a volume of the fluid remaining in the tank, a consumption rate, a consumption rate history, the determined mass of the fluid remaining in the tank, an estimated time remaining before the tank will be empty, or any combination thereof.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium for monitoring the mass of a fluid remaining in a tank as the fluid periodically or continuously leaves the tank, comprising program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
- measure, with a flow meter in communication with the at least one processor, a plurality of flow rate measurements of the fluid as it leaves the tank during at least one measurement period, wherein each flow rate measurement of the plurality of flow rate measurements is determined at a time interval;
- determine a mass of the fluid that has left the tank during the at least one measurement period based at least partially on:
- an averaged value of the plurality of flow rate measurements taken during the at least one measurement period, a density of the fluid at a pressure and/or temperature of the fluid as it passes through the flow meter, and the time interval between the plurality of flow rate measurements;
- determine a mass of the fluid remaining in the tank based at least partially on a known, measured, or determined initial mass of the fluid in the tank and the determined mass of the fluid that has left the tank during the at least one measurement period;
- and
- generate, based at least partially on the mass of the fluid remaining in the tank, an indication of at least one of the following:
- a volume of the fluid remaining in the tank, a consumption rate, a consumption rate history, the determined mass of the fluid remaining in the tank, an estimated time remaining before the tank will be empty, or any combination thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.