DISTRIBUTED SENSOR ARRAY FOR FLUID CONTAMINANT MONITORING
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring fluid impurity levels, comprising:
- (a) fixing a network of cables in place within a fluid;
(b) supporting a plurality of first sensors sensitive to a first fluid impurity at different places on the cable network;
(c) supporting a plurality of second sensors sensitive to a second fluid impurity, different from the first fluid impurity, at different places on the cable network; and
(d) transmitting to a collection point data representative of the level of first and second fluid impurities in the fluid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A disclosed fluid purity monitoring system employs a network of preferably information-transmissive cables fixed in place within a body of fluid. Sensors sensitive to fluid impurities are supported at various places on the network. Data representative of impurity levels transmits to a collection point via the same cables at which the sensors are supported. One system employs at least two pluralities of sensors sensitive to different fluid impurities. Another system employs electrically conductive cables fixed in place substantially in a common plane, with some cables oriented substantially parallel to each other and intersecting other cables. In that system, the data transmits to the collection point via a separate electrical circuit for each one of the sensors. Each circuit includes a series connection of the pair of cables that intersect proximate to the sensor'"'"'s support point on the network. Advantageous variations and methods are also disclosed.
34 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring fluid impurity levels, comprising:
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(a) fixing a network of cables in place within a fluid;
(b) supporting a plurality of first sensors sensitive to a first fluid impurity at different places on the cable network;
(c) supporting a plurality of second sensors sensitive to a second fluid impurity, different from the first fluid impurity, at different places on the cable network; and
(d) transmitting to a collection point data representative of the level of first and second fluid impurities in the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A fluid impurity monitoring system comprising:
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(a) a network of cables fixed in place within a fluid;
(b) a plurality of first sensors sensitive to a first fluid impurity supported at different places on the cable network;
(c) a plurality of second sensors sensitive to a second fluid impurity, different from the first fluid impurity, supported at different places on the cable network; and
(d) a collection point responsive to data, transmitted from the sensors, that is representative of the level of first and second fluid impurities in the fluid;
whereby the level of different fluid impurities at different places within the fluid can be collected and monitored. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for monitoring fluid impurity levels, comprising:
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(a) fixing a network of electrically conductive cables in place within a fluid substantially in a common plane, wherein some cables of the network are oriented substantially parallel to each other and intersect other cables of the network;
(b) supporting a plurality of sensors on the network proximate to different junctions of pairs of the cables; and
(c) transmitting, to a collection point via a separate electrical circuit for each one of the sensors, data representative of the degree of fluid impurities in the fluid, wherein the electrical circuit for each sensor includes a series connection of the pair of cables that intersect proximate to where the sensor is supported on the network. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A fluid impurity monitoring system comprising:
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(a) a network of electrically conductive cables fixed in place within a fluid substantially in a common plane, wherein some cables of the network are oriented substantially parallel to each other and intersect other cables of the network;
(b) a plurality of sensors supported on the network proximate to different junctions of pairs of the cables; and
(c) a collection point responsive to data, transmitted via a separate electrical circuit for each one of the sensors, that is representative of the degree of fluid impurities in the fluid, wherein the electrical circuit for each sensor includes a series connection of the pair of cables that intersect proximate to where the sensor is supported on the network;
whereby the level of different fluid impurities at different places within the fluid can be collected and monitored. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A fluid impurity monitoring system comprising:
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(a) a network of electrically conductive cables fixed in place within a fluid;
(b) sensor means, supported at different places on the cable network, for sensing the level of different types of fluid impurities at different locations in the fluid; and
(c) means for electrically transmitting, via series connections of the cables, and for collecting data representative of the impurity levels.
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Specification