Fuel tank level monitoring system

• US 10,101,191 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2017
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tank Vision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tank Vision, Inc.
• Inventors: McBride, Brian, McMann, James E., Owens, Steven Cratus, Varanka, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers, David A
• Application Number:
  US15/405,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20170199069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/22 by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water involving the use of floats G01F23/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/24 by measuring variations of resistance of resistors due to contact with conductor fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/266 measuring circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/296 Acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 25/20 of apparatus for measuring liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2200/00 Transmission systems for measured values, control or similar signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Described herein are embodiments of a system for monitoring and detecting a level of a tank storing a material. The system may be used in making a determination of whether and/or when to provide additional material to the tank, to refill the tank partially or entirely. In some embodiments, the tank may be disposed at a premises such as a residence or commercial building and the system may be disposed in part at that premises to monitor the level of the material in the tank. In some embodiments, the material may be a fuel and the tank may be a fuel tank, to provide fuel to utilities equipment at the premises. In other embodiments, the tank may include other materials, such as other utilities materials. In some embodiments, the utilities material may be potable water.

Claims

1. A fuel tank monitoring system comprising:

at least one temperature sensor attached to utilities equipment at a premises, wherein the utilities equipment consumes fuel from a fuel tank; and

at least one processor configured to perform a method comprising;

receiving data from the at least one temperature sensor;

determining, based on the received data, one or more times at which the utilities equipment was consuming fuel from the fuel tank;

calculating, based on the one or more times, a cumulative amount of time that the utilities equipment was consuming fuel from the fuel tank; and

calculating a level of fuel in the fuel tank based on the cumulative amount of time.

2. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor comprises at least one first processor configured to perform a first method and at least one second processor configured to perform a second method, wherein the first method comprises the receiving, determining, and calculating the cumulative amount, and the second method comprises the calculating the level of fuel.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the at least one first processor is disposed at the premises;

the at least one second processor is disposed outside the premises and geographically remote from the at least one first processor; and

the second method comprises receiving the cumulative amount of time from the at least one first processor via one or more communication networks.

4. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 2, further comprising:

at least one first storage medium having encoded thereon first executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one first processor, cause the at least one first processor to perform the first method; and

at least one second storage medium having encoded thereon second executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one second processor, cause the at least one second processor to perform the second method.

5. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the utilities equipment comprises a furnace.

6. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the temperature sensor is attached to a flue vent of the furnace.

7. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 1, wherein calculating the level of fuel in the tank comprises calculating based on one or more of:

a fuel consumption rate of the utilities equipment, at least one calibration measurement of a fuel tank level, and at least one value of an amount of fuel previously added to the fuel tank.

8. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

following receipt of a notification that the fuel tank has been refilled, calculating the level of fuel in the fuel tank based at least in part on the notification.

9. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 1, wherein determining the one or more times comprises, in response to determining that the data from the at least one temperature sensor indicates the utilities equipment started consuming fuel at a first time:

calculating a second time that precedes the first time; and

determining the one or more times based on the utilities equipment starting to consume fuel at the second time and not the first time.

10. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 9, wherein calculating the second time comprises subtracting a constant amount of time from the first time.

11. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 9, wherein determining the one or more times based on the second time comprises:

determining that the data from the at least one temperature sensor indicates the utilities equipment stopped consuming fuel at a third time;

in response to determining that a time between the second time and the third time exceeds a threshold, using the time between the second time and the third time to determine the one or more times at which the utilities equipment was consuming fuel from the tank; and

in response to determining that the time between the second time and the third time does not exceed the threshold, refraining from using the time to determine the one or more times.

12. A method comprising:

receiving data from at least one temperature sensor attached to utilities equipment at a premises, wherein the utilities equipment consumes fuel from a fuel tank;

determining, based on the received data, one or more times at which the utilities equipment was consuming fuel from the fuel tank;

calculating, based on the one or more times, a cumulative amount of time that the utilities equipment was consuming fuel from the fuel tank; and

calculating a level of fuel in the fuel tank based on the cumulative amount of time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the utilities equipment comprises a furnace; and

receiving the data from the at least one temperature sensor comprises receiving the data from a temperature sensor connected to a flue vent of the utilities equipment.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

following receipt of a notification that the fuel tank has been refilled, calculating the level of fuel in the fuel tank based at least in part on the notification.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the one or more times comprises, in response to determining that the data from the at least one temperature sensor indicates the utilities equipment started consuming fuel at a first time:

calculating a second time that precedes the first time; and

determining the one or more times based on the utilities equipment starting to consume fuel at the second time and not the first time.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein calculating the second time comprises subtracting a constant amount of time from the first time.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the one or more times based on the second time comprises:

determining that the data from the at least one temperature sensor indicates the utilities equipment stopped consuming fuel at a third time;

in response to determining that a time between the second time and the third time exceeds a threshold, using the time between the second time and the third time to determine the one or more times at which the utilities equipment was consuming fuel from the tank; and

in response to determining that the time between the second time and the third time does not exceed the threshold, refraining from using the time to determine the one or more times.

18. At least one computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a method comprising:

receiving data from at least one temperature sensor attached to utilities equipment at a premises, wherein the utilities equipment consumes fuel from a fuel tank;

determining, based on the received data, one or more times at which the utilities equipment was consuming fuel from the fuel tank;

calculating, based on the one or more times, a cumulative amount of time that the utilities equipment was consuming fuel from the fuel tank; and

calculating a level of fuel in the fuel tank based on the cumulative amount of time.

19. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein:

the utilities equipment comprises a furnace; and

receiving the data from the at least one temperature sensor comprises receiving the data from a temperature sensor connected to a flue vent of the utilities equipment.

20. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein determining the one or more times comprises, in response to determining that the data from the at least one temperature sensor indicates the utilities equipment started consuming fuel at a first time:

calculating a second time that precedes the first time; and

determining the one or more times based on the utilities equipment starting to consume fuel at the second time and not the first time.