Level Detector/Transmitter System

• US 20130233070A1
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Control Module, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Control Module, Inc.
• Inventors: Bianco, James S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,188,474 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/290.V
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/296 Acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2962 Measuring transit time of reflected waves

Abstract

A level detector mounts to a tank containing a liquid. The detector transmits and receives ultrasonic pulses. The pulses are processed by a microprocessor which periodically measures the liquid level of the tank. When the liquid level reaches a pre-established level, a cell phone automatically transmits data to a remote location. A schedule for emptying the tank is generated by a server at the remote location. A service man uses the schedule to visit the tank location and empty the tank. In addition, a portable charger/calibrator is mounted to the level detector to charge the power supply of the detector and calibrate the liquid level.

Claims

1. A level detector/transmitter system comprising:

a level detector comprising a housing adapted to mount to a tank for a liquid having a level, a power supply, a microprocessor, a cell phone in communication with said microprocessor and an ultrasonic transceiver adapted to transmit pulses and receive echoes of said pulses and transmit signals relating to said pulses to the microprocessor to measure the liquid level of the tank, said microprocessor regulating a time interval between successive measurements of the liquid level in the tank, and controlling the operation of the cell phone for transmitting data indicative of the liquid level in the tank when the liquid level reaches a pre-established threshold; and

a portable charger/calibrator adapted to mount onto the level detector and to charge the power supply of the level detector and to calibrate the liquid level as measured by the microprocessor of the detector.

2. The detector/transmitter system of claim 1 wherein said portable charger/calibrator comprises a plurality of switches indicative of various level values of a tank.

3. The detector/transmitter system of claim 1 wherein said detector comprises a pair of contacts, and said portable charger/calibrator comprises a pair of contacts which engage the contacts of the level detector to provide electrical communication therewith.

4. The detector/transmitter system of claim 1 wherein said portable charger/calibrator includes a charge lamp for indicating the charge status of the level detector.

5. The detector/transmitter system of claim 1 and further comprising a server which receives data from said cell phone of said level detector and generates a schedule for a stop for emptying and transporting liquid from the liquid tank.

6. The detector/transmitter system of claim 1, wherein the power supply is monitored and the microprocessor activates the cell phone to transmit a signal indicative of a low power supply.

7. The detector/transmitter system of claim 1 wherein said microprocessor transforms said level detector to a sleep mode between measurements.

8. A level detector/transmitter system for automatically measuring the liquid level of a tank comprising:

a level detector comprising a housing, a power supply, a microprocessor, a cell phone in communication with said microprocessor, and at least one ultrasonic transceiver each adapted to transmit pulses and receive echoes of said pulses and transmit signals relating to said pulses to the microprocessor to measure the liquid level of the tank, said microprocessor regulating a time interval between successive measurements of the liquid level in the tank, and controlling the operation of the cell phone for transmitting data indicative of the liquid level in the tank; and

a portable charger/calibrator adapted to mount onto the level detector and to charge the power supply of the level detector and to calibrate the liquid level as measured by the microprocessor of the detector.

9. The detector/transmitter system of claim 8 wherein said portable charger/calibrator comprises a plurality of switches indicative of various level values of a tank.

10. The detector/transmitter system of claim 8 wherein said level detector comprises a pair of contacts, and said portable charger/calibrator comprises a pair of contacts which engage the contacts of the level detector to provide electrical communication therewith.

11. The level detector/transmitter system of claim 8 and further comprising a server which receives data from said cell phone of said level detector and generates a schedule for a stop for emptying and transporting liquid from the liquid container tank.

12. The level detector/transmitter system of claim 8, wherein the power supply is monitored and said microprocessor activates said cell phone to transmit a signal indicative of a low power supply.

13. The detector/transmitter system of claim 8 wherein said microprocessor transforms said level detector to a sleep mode between measurements.

14. A method for monitoring a liquid level of a tank comprising:

employing a level detector to automatically intermittently measure the liquid level of the tank;

when the liquid level reaches a pre-established threshold, automatically transmitting data indicative of the measured liquid level to a remote location;

using the transmitted data to determine a schedule when the liquid in the tank should be removed;

removing liquid from the tank;

charging the level detector; and

calibrating the liquid level measurement of the level detector.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said data is transmitted by means of a cell phone.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the liquid level is measured by emitting pulses from an ultrasonic transducer and processing the echo of said pulses in a microprocessor.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said steps of charging and calibrating the level detector are preceded by mounting a portable charger/calibrator to the level detector.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising removing said charger/calibrator at the conclusion of the charging and calibrating steps.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein said pre-established threshold level is approximately ¾

of the volume of the tank.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising employing a multiplicity of level detectors, each mounted to one of a plurality of tanks, and further comprising using data indicative of the level of the tanks to generate a service schedule for emptying the tanks.