FLUID LEVEL SENSOR SYSTEM

• US 20120260728A1
• Filed: 03/22/2012
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Deavours, Daniel, Sarma, Sanjay E., Bhattacharyya, Rahul, Floerkemeier, Christian
• Application Number:
  US13/426,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20120260728A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/290.V
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/261 for discrete levels
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2845 for discrete levels G01F23/288, G01F23/292 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/225 used in level-measurement devices, e.g. for level gauge measurement
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/26 with folded element or elements, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of operating wavelength resonant loop antennas H01Q7/00

Abstract

Fluid level sensor. The sensor includes first and second RFID tag antennas disposed in spaced-apart relation on the outside of a container including fluid therein. An RFID reader transmits power to, and receives backscatter power from, the first and second RFID tag antennas. A difference in backscatter power from the first and second tag antennas indicates the presence of fluid behind the second RFID tag antenna. In another aspect, a single RFID tag antenna is disposed on the outside of a container including fluid therein. An RFID reader transmits power over a selected range of frequencies to the tag antenna and receives backscatter power from the tag antenna. The tag response across all frequencies in the selected range indicates no liquid in the container while tag response in only the higher frequencies of the selected range indicates presence of fluid in the container.

Claims

1. Fluid level sensor system comprising:

first and second RFID tag antennas disposed in spaced-apart relation on the outside of a container including fluid therein, the first tag antenna located at a position on the container where there is no liquid behind it, and the second tag antenna located at a position where there may be liquid behind it; and

an RFID reader for transmitting power to, and receiving backscatter power from, the first and second RFID tag antennas, whereby a difference in backscatter power from the first and second tag antennas indicates the presence of fluid behind the second RFID tag antenna.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the tag antennas are UHF tag antennas.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the container is a battery casing.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the fluid is battery acid.

5. Fluid level sensor system comprising:

an RFID tag antenna disposed on the outside of a container that may contain fluid therein; and

an RFID reader for transmitting power over a selected range of frequencies to the tag antenna and for receiving backscatter power from the tag antenna, whereby when the reader transmitted power is set to threshold plus 1.5 dBm, the tag antenna responds to the reader across all frequencies in the selected range when the container is empty and the tag antenna responds to the reader at only higher frequencies in the selected range when the container is full.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the selected frequency range is approximately 902-928 MHz.