System and method for wirelessly determining fluid volume

• US 20070157718A1
• Filed: 01/09/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Original Assignee: U.S.A. as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• Inventors: Taylor, Bryant, Woodard, Stanley
• Granted Patent: US 7,506,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/149
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 22/00 Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/268 mounting arrangements of probes

Abstract

A system and method are provided for determining the volume of a fluid in a container. Sensors are positioned at distinct locations in a container of a fluid. Each sensor is sensitive to an interface defined by the top surface of the fluid. Interfaces associated with at least three of the sensors are determined and used to find the volume of the fluid in the container in a geometric process.

Claims

1. A system for determining the volume of a fluid in a container, comprising:

a plurality of sensors adapted to be positioned in a container of a fluid, each of said sensors spanning at least a portion of a dimension of interest in the container at a distinct location in the container, each of said sensors being sensitive to an interface defined by the top surface of the fluid;

a measurement acquisition system for determining said interface from at least three of said sensors; and

processing means coupled to said measurement acquisition system for determining a volume of the fluid in the container using said interface so-determined from said at least three of said sensors.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein each of said sensors comprises a magnetic field response sensor having a unique resonant frequency range of operation.

3. A system as in claim 2 wherein said measurement acquisition system comprises a magnetic field response recorder.

4. A system as in claim 1 wherein each of said sensors is adapted to be coupled to the container.

5. A system as in claim 1 wherein each of said sensors is a circuit powered by Faraday induction.

6. A system as in claim 5 wherein said measurement acquisition system includes antenna means for transmitting radio frequency energy therefrom and for receiving radio frequency energy transmitted from each of said sensors.

7. A system for determining the volume of a fluid in a container, comprising:

a plurality of sensors adapted to be coupled to interior walls of a container of a fluid, each of said sensors spanning a dimension of the container at a distinct location therein, each of said sensors being sensitive to an interface defined by the top surface of the fluid;

a measurement acquisition system for determining said interface from at least three of said sensors with three corresponding ones of said interfaces being indicative of a surface plane equation that defines the top surface of the fluid; and

processing means coupled to said measurement acquisition system for determining a volume of the fluid in the container using said surface plane equation.

8. A system as in claim 7 wherein each of said sensors comprises a magnetic field response sensor having a unique resonant frequency range of operation.

9. A system as in claim 8 wherein said measurement acquisition system comprises a magnetic field response recorder.

10. A system as in claim 7 wherein the interior walls of the container are electrically non-conductive, and wherein each of said sensors is deposited directly onto the interior walls of the container.

11. A system as in claim 7 wherein each of said sensors is a circuit powered by Faraday induction.

12. A system as in claim 11 wherein said measurement acquisition system includes antenna means for transmitting radio frequency energy therefrom and for receiving radio frequency energy transmitted from each of said sensors.

13. A method of determining the volume of a fluid in a container, comprising the steps of:

positioning a plurality of sensors in a container of a fluid with each of said sensors spanning a dimension of interest in the container at a distinct location in the container, each of said sensors being sensitive to an interface defined by the top surface of the fluid;

determining said interface from at least three of said sensors with three corresponding ones of said interfaces being indicative of a surface plane equation that defines the top surface of the fluid; and

determining a volume of the fluid in the container using said surface plane equation.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein each of said sensors comprises a magnetic field response sensor having a unique resonant frequency range of operation, and wherein said step of determining each said interface comprises the steps of:

transmitting radio frequency energy in the vicinity of the container wherein each of said sensors resonates at a frequency from said unique resonant frequency range of operation associated therewith, said frequency being indicative of a location of said interface associated with a corresponding one of said sensors; and

measuring each said frequency so-resonated.

15. A method according to claim 13 wherein said step of positioning comprises the step of coupling each of said sensors to an interior wall of the container.

16. A method according to claim 13 wherein interior walls of the container are electrically non-conductive, and wherein said step of positioning comprises the step of depositing each of said sensors directly onto portions of the interior walls of the container.