Liquid consumption tracker
First Claim
1. A self-powered liquid level sensor, the sensor comprising:
- a mechanical connector configured to mate with a container of a liquid;
a power source coupled to the mechanical connector;
an ultrasonic transducer coupled to the mechanical connector;
a radio coupled to the mechanical connector;
a processor coupled to the mechanical connector and communicatively coupled to the power source, the ultrasonic transducer, and the radio; and
memory coupled to the mechanical connector and communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor effectuate operations comprising;
waking the processor from a lower-power state to a higher-power state;
causing the ultrasonic transducer to vibrate and drive an ultrasonic sound wave into the container of the liquid;
determining a value indicative of an amount of liquid in the container by measuring a duration of time elapsed between when the ultrasonic transducer drives the ultrasonic sound wave and when an echo of the sound wave is received by the ultrasonic transducer;
storing the value in a buffer memory;
returning the processor to the lower power state; and
transmitting the value in the buffer memory with the radio,wherein;
the memory, the processor, and a digital signal processor coupled to the ultrasonic transducer are part of a system-on-a-chip;
the memory comprises flash memory configured to preserve data in the absence of power; and
the processor is a special-purpose processor coupled to a crystal configured to vibrate and output a clock signal by which the special-purpose processor determines a time-of-flight of the sound wave to the surface of the liquid in the container and back to the ultrasonic transducer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Provided is a sensor operative to track changes in a liquid level of a hand-held liquid container, the sensor comprising: an ultrasonic liquid-level sensor configured to indicate a liquid level of a liquid in a hand-held liquid container, wherein the ultrasonic liquid-level sensor is capable of indicating the liquid level when the surface of the liquid is less than 20 centimeters away from the ultrasonic liquid-level sensor; a radio transmitter; and a processor configured to draw power from a portable power source, receive liquid-level indications from the ultrasonic liquid-level sensor, and cause the radio transmitter to transmit data indicative of changes in the liquid level.
49 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A self-powered liquid level sensor, the sensor comprising:
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a mechanical connector configured to mate with a container of a liquid; a power source coupled to the mechanical connector; an ultrasonic transducer coupled to the mechanical connector; a radio coupled to the mechanical connector; a processor coupled to the mechanical connector and communicatively coupled to the power source, the ultrasonic transducer, and the radio; and memory coupled to the mechanical connector and communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor effectuate operations comprising; waking the processor from a lower-power state to a higher-power state; causing the ultrasonic transducer to vibrate and drive an ultrasonic sound wave into the container of the liquid; determining a value indicative of an amount of liquid in the container by measuring a duration of time elapsed between when the ultrasonic transducer drives the ultrasonic sound wave and when an echo of the sound wave is received by the ultrasonic transducer; storing the value in a buffer memory; returning the processor to the lower power state; and transmitting the value in the buffer memory with the radio, wherein; the memory, the processor, and a digital signal processor coupled to the ultrasonic transducer are part of a system-on-a-chip; the memory comprises flash memory configured to preserve data in the absence of power; and the processor is a special-purpose processor coupled to a crystal configured to vibrate and output a clock signal by which the special-purpose processor determines a time-of-flight of the sound wave to the surface of the liquid in the container and back to the ultrasonic transducer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A self-powered liquid level sensor, the sensor comprising:
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a mechanical connector configured to mate with a container of a liquid; a power source coupled to the mechanical connector; an ultrasonic transducer coupled to the mechanical connector; a radio coupled to the mechanical connector; a processor coupled to the mechanical connector and communicatively coupled to the power source, the ultrasonic transducer, and the radio; and memory coupled to the mechanical connector and communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor effectuate operations comprising; waking the processor from a lower-power state to a higher-power state; causing the ultrasonic transducer to vibrate and drive an ultrasonic sound wave into the container of the liquid; determining a value indicative of an amount of liquid in the container by measuring a duration of time elapsed between when the ultrasonic transducer drives the ultrasonic sound wave and when an echo of the sound wave is received by the ultrasonic transducer; storing the value in a buffer memory; returning the processor to the lower power state; and transmitting the value in the buffer memory with the radio, wherein the ultrasonic transducer comprises a single actuator configured to both transmit the sound wave and sense the echo, wherein the operations comprise driving a signal to the actuator that is out of phase relative to the vibration between driving the sound wave and receiving the echo of the sound wave to suppress interference from residual vibrations. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification