Flexible strap antenna arrays for tank volume calibration and resonance frequency shift measuring methods using same

A system for measuring a volume of a storage container using a network analyzer, the system comprising:

• a plurality of measuring instruments configured to be deployed on an exterior wall of a cylindrical storage, wherein a given measuring instrument among the plurality of measuring instruments is extended circumferentially about the circumferential sidewall of the storage container at a respective height on the wall such that a length of the given measuring instrument corresponds to the circumference of the container at the respective height, and wherein the given measuring instrument includes:
• a flexible elongate strap substrate having the length;
• and
• a flexible antenna array extending substantially along the length of the strap substrate, wherein the antenna array is either affixed to a surface of the strap substrate or embedded within the strap substrate, whereby compression or extension of the strap substrate causes compression or extension of the antenna array, and wherein the antenna array comprises:
• a plurality of interconnected patch antennas arranged in at least one row, wherein the plurality of patch antennas are electrically connected to a feeding line extending alongside the at least one row, and wherein the feeding line is configured to terminate in an impedance matched to the network analyzer such that the network analyzer can excite the antenna array with an input signal and measure electrical parameters relating to the antenna array's response to the input signal at a resonance frequency, and wherein the antenna array is configured such that the measured electrical parameters vary as a function of the physical length of the antenna array during use;
• and
• a diagnostic computing system comprising:
• a non-transitory computer readable storage medium,
• one or more processors in electronic communication with the given measuring instrument and the computer readable storage medium,
• one or more software modules comprising executable instructions stored in the storage medium, wherein the one or more software modules are executable by the processor and include:
• an excitation module that configures the processor to, using the network analyzer connected to the antenna array, generate the input signal to excite the antenna array,
• a parameter measurement module that configures the processor to, using the network analyzer, measure the electrical parameters relating to the antenna array's response to the input signal, and record the measured electrical parameters in the storage medium,
• a parameter analysis module that configures the processor to calculate, based on the measured electrical parameters, a change in the electrical parameters relative to reference electrical parameters for the antenna array stored in the storage, wherein the reference electrical parameters for the antenna array correspond to a reference length of the antenna array and the strap substrate, and
• a dimension analysis module that configures the processor to calculate a current length of the antenna array and the strap substrate based on the calculated change in electrical parameter and the reference length, and wherein the dimension analysis module further configures the processor to calculate the volume of the storage container based on the calculated length of the antenna array of each of the plurality of measuring instruments.

A method of measuring an object using a measuring instrument, the method comprising:

• providing a measuring instrument comprising:
• a flexible elongate strap substrate having a length;
• and
• a flexible antenna array extending substantially along the length of the strap substrate, wherein the antenna array is affixed to a surface of the strap substrate or embedded within the strap substrate, whereby compression or extension of the strap substrate causes compression or extension of the antenna array, and wherein the antenna array comprises:
• a plurality of interconnected patch antennas arranged in at least one row, wherein the plurality of patch antennas are electrically connected to a feeding line extending alongside the at least one row, and wherein the feeding line is configured to be connected to a network analyzer,
• wherein the antenna array is designed to have a reference resonance frequency that corresponds to a reference length of the antenna array and the strap substrate, and wherein the antenna array is configured such that the resonance frequency of the antenna array varies as a function of changes in the length of the antenna array;
• and
• calibrating the length of the measuring instrument, the calibrating step including the steps of:
• generating, with a network analyzer connected to the antenna array, an input signal that excites the antenna array,
• measuring, with the network analyzer, a resonance frequency of the antenna array in response to the input signal,
• calculating, with a diagnostic computing system, a change in the resonance frequency based on the measured resonance frequency relative to the reference resonance frequency, wherein the reference resonance frequency and corresponding reference length of the antenna array and strap substrate are stored in a database that is accessible to the diagnostic computing system, and
• determining, with the diagnostic computing system, a current length of the antenna array and the strap substrate based on the measured change in resonance frequency and the reference length of the antenna array and the strap substrate.