Liquid gauging apparatus and remote sensor interrogation

• US 5,530,258 A
• Filed: 10/18/1994
• Issued: 06/25/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Crowne, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Westin, Edward P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, QUE TAN
• Application Number:
  US08/325,003
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 250/577, 250/551, 250/221, 250/904, 340/870.28, 340/825.37, 340/825.72, 340/870.16, 340/825.36, 341/175, 341/176, 359/154, 359/157, 359/152, 359/143, 359/144, 73/61.41
• US Class Current: 250/577
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/04 by dip members, e.g. dip-sticks
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2963 magnetostrictive
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/72 using magnetically actuated indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/74 for sensing changes in level only at discrete points
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/80 Arrangements for signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 250/904 with single light guide element to guide light in a continuous path

Abstract

A liquid gauging system for a liquid container, the system comprising sensor means for producing a first electromagnetic signal that corresponds to liquid quantity in the container, and remote interrogation means for receiving the first electromagnetic signal and producing a system output that corresponds to the liquid quantity; the sensor means being energized by a second electromagnetic signal transmitted by the remote interrogation means.

Claims

1. Apparatus for remotely receiving sensor data from a liquid quantity sensor associated with a liquid container, comprising:

sensor control means coupled to the sensor for producing a first electromagnetic signal based on the sensor data, and a mobile remote control means for receiving said first electromagnetic signal and producing an output based on the sensor data;

said sensor and sensor control means being selectively powered in response to a signal from said remote control means to produce said first electromagnetic signal and being substantially deenergized other than to produce said first electromagnetic signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electromagnetic signal is transmitted through free space to said remote control means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mobile remote control means comprises a hand held unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an aircraft fuel tank;

wherein the sensor is disposed on the aircraft fuel tank, said sensor control means being disposed at the fuel tank for transmitting said first electromagnetic signal to said remote control means.

5. Apparatus for remotely receiving sensor data from a fuel quantity sensor, comprising:

an aircraft fuel tank;

a fuel sensor disposed on the fuel tank for detecting fuel quantity therein;

sensor control means disposed at the fuel tank and that is coupled to the sensor for producing a first electromagnetic signal based on the sensor data; and

a mobile remote control means for receiving said first electromagnetic signal and producing an output based on the sensor data;

said sensor and sensor control means being selectively powered in response to a signal from said remote control means to produce said first electromagnetic signal and being substantially deenergized other than to produce said first electromagnetic signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said sensor control means and the sensor are electrically energized for producing said first electromagnetic signal, and substantially deenergized other than when producing said first electromagnetic signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said sensor control means and sensor are electrically energized in response to a second electromagnetic signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said remote control means transmits said second electromagnetic signal to said sensor control means.