Wireless liquid quantity measurement system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJason P. Bommer, James P. Irwin, Andrew M. Robb, Wayne Cooper, Dennis M. Lewis
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Abstract
Technologies are described herein for wirelessly measuring liquid quantity in an enclosure. According to various aspects, an incident electromagnetic wave is transmitted within a conductive enclosure. One or more rebound electromagnetic waves that correspond to the incident electromagnetic wave are received. Using the rebound electromagnetic waves, a transfer function of the rebound electromagnetic waves is measured and a quantity of liquid stored in the enclosure is calculated based on the measured transfer function.
Claims18
A method for measuring liquid quantity, comprising:
- transmitting, by a transmitter, one or more incident electromagnetic waves within a conductive enclosure;
- receiving rebound electromagnetic waves corresponding to the incident electromagnetic waves;
- measuring a transfer function corresponding to the rebound electromagnetic waves;
- and
- calculating liquid quantity based on the measured transfer function by
- determining a time delay between transmitting a particular incident electromagnetic wave of the incident electromagnetic waves and receiving a corresponding rebound electromagnetic wave,
- comparing the time delay to a set of known time delays corresponding to an incident electromagnetic wave having the same characteristics as the particular incident electromagnetic wave,
- determining if the time delay matches one of the set of known time delays, and
- upon determining that the time delay matches a time delay of the set of know time delays, determining a liquid quantity corresponding to the matched time delay.
A wireless liquid quantity measuring system, comprising:
- an interrogation assembly comprising
- a transmitter configured to transmit one or more incident electromagnetic waves within a conductive enclosure configured to store a liquid,
- a receiver configured to receive rebound electromagnetic waves corresponding to the incident electromagnetic waves,
- a transfer function module configured to measure a transfer function corresponding to the rebound electromagnetic waves, and
- a liquid quantity calculating module configured to calculate liquid quantity based on the measured transfer function;
- and
- a slotted waveguide positioned within the conductive enclosure;
- and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the one or more incident electromagnetic waves within the slotted waveguide.
A system, comprising:
- a conductive enclosure;
- an interrogation assembly disposed within the conductive enclosure that calculates a liquid quantity of a liquid stored in the conductive enclosure;
- and
- an inductive power and data assembly configured to wirelessly supply power to the interrogation assembly and communicate data signals between the interrogation assembly and the inductive power and data assembly, the inductive power and data assembly comprising a pair of inductively coupled inductive coils including an inner inductive coil and an outer inductive coil separated by the conductive enclosure capable of conducting electromagnetic waves, the inner inductive coil attached to an inner surface of the conductive enclosure and the outer inductive coil attached to an outer surface of the conductive enclosure,
- wherein the calculated liquid quantity of the liquid stored in the conductive enclosure being wirelessly communicated through the data signals between the interrogation assembly and the inductive power and data assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.