# US 9,038,442 B2 · Systems and methods of determining a quality and a quantity of a fluid > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,442 B2 - Document ID: US9038442B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/286,572 - Filed: 2014-05-23 - Published: 2014-09-11 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2010-11-11 - Assignees: SSI Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Ssi Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Lawrence B. Reimer; Gregory P. Murphy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038442B2 ## CPC - G01F 23/2962: Measuring transit time of reflected waves - F01N 3/2066: {Selective catalytic reduction [SCR]} - G01F 23/2965: Measuring attenuation of transmitted waves - G01F 25/20: of apparatus for measuring liquid level - G01N 29/024: by measuring propagation velocity or propagation time of acoustic waves - F01N 2610/1406: Storage means for substances, e.g. tanks or reservoirs - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME - F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A system for sensing a fluid. The system including a fixed object; a first transducer generating a first sound wave in a horizontal direction and to detect a first echo of the first sound wave from the fixed object; a second transducer generating a second sound wave in a vertical direction; a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the fluid; and a controller. The controller configured to produce a first signal to drive the first transducer to produce the first sound wave, produce a second signal to drive the second transducer to produce the second sound wave, receive a first indication of the detected first echo, receive a second indication of the detected second echo, receive a temperature indication, determine a quality of the fluid based on the first indication and the temperature indication, and determine a quantity of the fluid based on the second indication. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for determining a quality and a quantity of a fluid in a tank having a bottom, the system comprising: a fixed object; a first transducer configured to generate a first sound wave in a horizontal direction and to detect a first echo of the first sound wave from the fixed object, the first transducer configured to be positioned near the bottom of the tank, and the fixed object positioned a known distance away from the transducer; a second transducer configured to generate a second sound wave in a vertical direction and to detect a second echo of the second sound wave, the second transducer configured to be positioned near the bottom of the tank such that the second sound wave travels toward a surface of the fluid in the tank; a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the fluid; and a controller configured to: produce a first signal to drive the first transducer to produce the first sound wave, produce a second signal to drive the second transducer to produce the second sound wave, receive a first indication of the detected first echo from the first transducer, receive a second indication of the detected second echo from the second transducer, receive a temperature indication of the fluid from the temperature sensor, determine a quality of the fluid based on the first indication and the temperature indication, and determine a quantity of the fluid based on the second indication. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether a contaminant exists in the fluid based on whether a dilution of the fluid is detected while a measured volume of the fluid decreases. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first transducer and the second transducer produce an ultrasonic sound wave. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines that the detected first echo is valid when the detected first echo is received by the first transducer within a predetermined time limit, has an amplitude that falls within a predetermined range, has a duration within a predetermined time range, or a combination of the foregoing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines that the detected second is valid when the detected second echo is received by the second transducer within a predetermined time limit, has an amplitude that falls within a predetermined range, has a duration within a predetermined time range, or a combination of the foregoing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid is a urea solution. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines a speed of sound of the fluid based on the first indication and the temperature indication. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein determining the quality of the fluid includes determining a concentration of the fluid. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein determining the quantity of the fluid includes determining a level of the fluid. ### Claim 10 A sensing system for sensing a fluid in a tank, the system comprising: a sensor housing; a fixed target; a first transducer configured to generate a first sound wave and to detect a first echo of the first sound wave from the fixed target, the first transducer positioned near the bottom of the tank, the fixed object positioned a known distance away from the transducer; a second transducer configured to generate a second sound wave and to detect a second echo of the second sound wave, the second transducer positioned to direct the second sound wave toward a surface of the fluid in the tank; a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the fluid; and a controller configured to: produce a first signal to drive the first transducer to produce the first sound wave, produce a second signal to drive the second transducer to produce the second sound wave, receive a first indication of the detected first echo from the first transducer, receive a second indication of the detected second echo from the second transducer, receive a temperature indication of the temperature of the fluid from the temperature sensor, determine a quality of the fluid based on the first indication and the temperature indication, and determine a quantity of the fluid based on the second indication, and the temperature indication. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether a contaminant exists in the fluid based on whether a dilution of the fluid is detected while a measured volume of the fluid decreases. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the first transducer and the second transducer produce an ultrasonic sound wave. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the controller determines that the detected first echo is valid when the detected first echo is received by the first transducer within a predetermined time limit, has an amplitude that falls within a predetermined range, has a duration within a predetermined time range, or a combination of the foregoing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the controller determines that the detected second echo is valid when the detected second echo is received by the second transducer within a predetermined time limit, has an amplitude that falls within a predetermined range, has a duration within a predetermined time range, or a combination of the foregoing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the fluid is a urea solution. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the controller determines a speed of sound of the fluid based on the first indication and the temperature indication. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein determining the quality of the fluid includes determining a concentration of the fluid. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein determining the quantity of the fluid includes determining a level of the fluid. ### Claim 19 A method of sensing a fluid in a tank, the method comprising: generating a first sound wave in a horizontal direction; detecting an echo of the first sound wave from a fixed object positioned at a known location; generating a second sound wave in a vertical direction such that the second sound wave travels toward a surface of the fluid in the tank; detecting an echo of the second sound wave; detecting a temperature of the fluid; determining a quality of the fluid based on the echo of the first sound wave and the temperature; and determining a quantity of the fluid based on the echo of the second sound wave, and the temperature. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising determining whether a contaminant exists in the fluid based on whether a dilution of the fluid is detected while a measured volume of the fluid decreases. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising determining that the echo of the first sound wave is valid when the echo of the first sound wave is received within a predetermined time limit, has an amplitude that falls within a predetermined range, has a duration within a predetermined time range, or a combination of the foregoing. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising determining that the echo of the second sound wave is valid when the echo of the second sound wave is received within a predetermined time limit, has an amplitude that falls within a predetermined range, has a duration within a predetermined time range, or a combination of the foregoing. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the fluid is a urea solution. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising determining a speed of sound of the fluid based on the echo of the first sound wave and the temperature. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein determining the quality of the fluid includes determining a concentration of the fluid. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein determining the quantity of the fluid includes determining a level of the fluid.