Fuel tank level monitoring system

• US 10,267,665 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2017
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• 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): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US15/405,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20170200362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 circuit configured to determine a value indicative of a level of fuel in a fuel tank at a premises;

at least one wireless communication circuit;

at least one processor; and

at least one storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a method comprising;

generating fuel tank level information, wherein generating the fuel tank level information comprises operating the at least one circuit to determine the value;

monitoring, using the at least one wireless communication circuit, for identification information transmitted by a device proximate to the premises of the fuel tank; and

in response to determining that received identification information indicates presence of a device proximate to the premises that is configured to receive fuel tank level information for the premises, operating the at least one wireless communication circuit to transmit to the device the fuel tank level information and identification information for the premises.

2. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the at least one circuit is configured to detect a level of fuel in the fuel tank.

3. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the at least one circuit is configured to detect a value indicative of an amount of fuel from the tank that was consumed, over a period of time, by utilities equipment.

4. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing,

wherein the at least one circuit, the at least one wireless communication circuit, the at least one processor, and the at least one storage medium are disposed within the housing.

5. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 4, wherein:

the housing, the at least one circuit, the at least one wireless communication circuit, the at least one processor, and the at least one storage medium are components of a single device; and

the single device further comprises a battery disposed within the housing.

6. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one temperature sensor to monitor a temperature of one or more components of fuel burning utilities equipment at the premises and provide values indicative of the temperature to the at least one circuit.

7. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 1, wherein operating the at least one wireless communication circuit to transmit to the device the fuel tank level information and identification information for the premises comprises operating the at least one wireless communication circuit to transmit directly to the device from the at least one wireless communication circuit.

8. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 7, wherein:

the premises comprises a wireless communications network including one or more devices other than the fuel tank monitoring system; and

operating the at least one wireless communication circuit to transmit directly to the device from the at least one communication circuit comprises operating the at least one wireless communication circuit to transmit to the device without traversing the wireless communications network of the premises.

9. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 8, wherein operating the at least one wireless communication circuit to transmit directly to the device from the at least one communication circuit comprises operating the at least one wireless communication circuit to transmit to the device via an ad hoc wireless network including the fuel tank monitoring system and the device proximate to the premises.

10. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 9, further comprising:

the device proximate to the premises, wherein the device is disposed within a vehicle.

11. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle is a refueling truck, the refueling truck comprising a reservoir of fuel.

12. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 1, wherein monitoring for the identification information transmitted by a device proximate to the premises comprises monitoring responsive to expiration of a first period of time.

13. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises, in response to determining that a second period of time has passed since beginning monitoring, suspending the monitoring until the first period of time expires again.

14. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 1, wherein:

the fuel monitoring system further comprises at least one second circuit to determine operating state information for utilities equipment disposed at the premises; and

operating the at least one wireless communication circuit to transmit to the device the fuel level data comprises operating the at least one wireless communication circuit to transmit to the device the fuel level data together with the operating state information.

15. The fuel tank monitoring system of claim 1, wherein determining that received identification information indicates presence of a device proximate to the premises that is configured to receive fuel level data for the premises comprises determining that the received identification information includes a first identifier indicating the device is a component of the fuel tank monitoring system and a second identifier indicating the device is affiliated with a fuel provider servicing the premises.

16. A method comprising:

generating fuel tank level information indicative of a level of fuel remaining in a fuel tank;

monitoring for a wireless transmission of identification information transmitted by a device proximate to a premises of the fuel tank; and

in response to determining that received identification information indicates presence of a device proximate to the premises that is configured to receive fuel tank level information for the premises, wirelessly transmitting to the device the fuel tank level information and identification information for the premises.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein generating the fuel tank level information indicative of the level of fuel remaining in the fuel tank comprises generating a value indicative of an amount of fuel from the tank that was consumed, over a period of time, by utilities equipment.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein wirelessly transmitting the fuel tank level information and identification information comprises transmitting directly to the device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the device is disposed within a vehicle proximate to the premises, the vehicle being a refueling truck comprising a reservoir of fuel.

20. 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:

generating fuel tank level information indicative of a level of fuel remaining in a fuel tank;

monitoring for a wireless transmission of identification information transmitted by a device proximate to a premises of the fuel tank; and

in response to determining that received identification information indicates presence of a device proximate to the premises that is configured to receive fuel tank level information for the premises, wirelessly transmitting to the device the fuel tank level information and identification information for the premises.