Determining fuel usage

• US 20070039662A1
• Filed: 08/17/2005
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elster Electricity LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Elster Electricity LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Shuey, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 7,533,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/94
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/804 containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8326 Fluid pressure responsive indicator, recorder or alarm

Abstract

A system, device, and method for quantifying fuel flow from a substantially stationary consumer container is contemplated. The system includes a flow sensor, a communications medium, and a receiver. Both the flow sensor and the receiver are in communication with the communications medium. The system may include a display, a computing device in communication with the receiver and an environmental sensor in communication with the communications medium. The communications medium may be wireless.

Claims

1. A system for quantifying fuel flow from a substantially stationary consumer container, comprising:

a flow sensor;

a communications medium in communication with said flow sensor; and

a receiver in communication with said communication medium.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display in communication with said receiver.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said communications medium is wireless.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an environmental sensor in communication with said communications medium.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fill gauge in communication with said communications medium.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fill gauge in communication with said flow sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said fuel sensor is demountably attached to a fuel container.

8. The system of claim 2, further comprising a computing device in communication with said display.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said computing device predicts future fuel usage.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said communications medium is wireless.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising an environmental sensor in communication with said communications medium.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a network for fuel pricing data in communication with said communications medium, wherein said network is in communication with a fuel service provider.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said computing device calculates a fuel ordering window.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said computing device orders a fuel refill from said fuel service provider within said fuel ordering window.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said computing device alerts a user of said fuel ordering window.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein said computing device alerts a user by at least one of the following:

an e-mail message, simple messaging system text, instant message text, or hyper text markup language, an audible tone, or a visual indicator.

17. The system of claim 8, further comprising a thermostat for quantifying room temperature and controlling a heating system, wherein said thermostat is in communication with said computing device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein a user entered configuration directs said computing device to control said thermostat.

19. The system of claim 8, further comprising a fill gauge in communication with said communications medium, wherein said computing device detects tank leakage and alerts a user.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein said communications medium is part of an automated meter reading system.

21. The system of claim 8, wherein said display is inside a residence.

22. The system of claim 8, wherein said computing device is a personal computer.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein said network for fuel pricing data uses Internet connectivity.

24. The system of claim 2, wherein said display shows a representation of fuel usage history.

25. The system of claim 2, wherein said display shows a representation of fuel usage by time of day.

26. A device for quantifying fuel flow from a substantially stationary consumer container, comprising:

a flow sensor for quantifying flow into data;

an input for presenting flow at said flow sensor; and

a transmitter in communication with said flow sensor for communicating said data.

27. The device of claim 26, further comprising a fuel output for receiving flow from said input.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein said transmitter is a spread spectrum radio.

29. The device of claim 26, further comprising a connector for demountably securing said input to a fuel container.

30. The device of claim 26, further comprising a reset switch for indicating a fuel level.

31. The device of claim 26, further comprising a battery for providing electrical energy.

32. The device of claim 26, further comprising a fill gauge for quantifying fuel level.

33. The device of claim 26, further comprising an environmental sensor in communication with said transmitter.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein said environmental sensor quantifies at least on the of the following:

temperature, wind speed, humidity, and atmospheric pressure.

35. The device of claim 33, wherein said environmental sensor detects propane gas.

36. A method for quantifying fuel flow from a substantially stationary consumer container, comprising:

receiving flow;

quantifying said flow into flow data; and

communicating said flow data.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising storing said flow data.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising estimating future flow data.

39. The method of claim 36, further comprising quantifying environmental characteristics into environmental data.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising displaying data in a human readable form.

41. The method of claim 36, further comprising initializing current fuel level.

42. The method of claim 36, further comprising controlling a thermostat.

43. The method of claim 36, further comprising detecting a fuel leak.

44. The method of claim 36, further comprising alerting a user of flow status.

45. The method of claim 44, where in a user is alerted by at least one of the following:

an e-mail message, simple messaging system text, instant message text, or hyper text markup language.

46. The method of claim 36, further comprising receiving fuel pricing data.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising determining a fuel ordering window.

48. The method of claim 46, further comprising determining an optimum price fuel ordering window.

49. The method of claim 46, further comprising determining an emergency fuel ordering window.

50. The method of claim 47, further comprising ordering a fuel refill.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising ordering a fuel refill within said optimum price fuel ordering window.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein further comprising ordering a fuel refill within said emergency fuel ordering window.

53. The method of claim 36, wherein said quantifying occurs with a flow sensor.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein said receiving flow occurs with an input for presenting flow to said flow sensor.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein said communicating occurs with a transmitter in communication with said flow sensor.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein said communicating is wireless.