Temperature compensated annunciator

• US 5,578,993 A
• Filed: 11/28/1994
• Issued: 11/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autronics
• Original Assignee: Autronics, Mass Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Sitabkhan, Abdul N., Tseng, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hopsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/345,929
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 340/614, 340/605, 340/612, 340/622, 340/626, 340/591, 340/592, 340/501, 340/521, 340/511, 340/522, 340/588, 340/589, 340/514, 374/141, 374/142, 374/143, 73/49.2, 73/53.04, 73/56.06, 73/56.09, 73/149, 364/571.02, 364/571.03, 364/571.04, 364/521.07, 364/557, 364/558
• US Class Current: 340/614
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/50 Testing or indicating devices for determining the state of readiness of the equipment

Abstract

A solid state temperature compensated annunciator is disclosed. The solid state temperature compensated annunciator includes a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure of the fillant within a vessel and a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the fillant within the vessel. The solid state temperature compensated annunciator determines a pressure that the vessel would have if the vessel were filled with a predetermined amount of fillant, and compares the measured pressure to the determined pressure. If the measured pressure is below the determined pressure, a warning signal is issued.

Claims

1. A temperature compensated annunciator for monitoring an amount of fillant in a pressurized vessel comprising:

temperature sensor means for determining a temperature of said fillant and generating a temperature signal corresponding to said fillant temperature;

pressure transducer means for measuring the pressure within said pressurized vessel and generating a pressure signal corresponding to said measured pressure;

fillant amount determining means for receiving the temperature signal from said temperature sensor means and determining a calculated pressure corresponding to a minimum operational fillant level of said pressurized vessel;

judging means for judging whether said measured pressure in said pressurized vessel is below said calculated pressure corresponding to said minimum operational fillant level;

signaling means for signaling a user when said judging means judges that said measured pressure in said pressurized vessel is below said calculated pressure;

storage means for storing a value corresponding to the measured pressure;

leak detection means for determining a reduction in the amount of fillant in the vessel by comparing the pressure measured by the pressure transducer means with a previously measured pressure stored in said storage means during a given temperature cycle; and

forecast means for forecasting, if said leak detection means determines a reduction in the amount of fillant, when said fillant amount will be less than said minimum operational fillant level.

2. The temperature compensated annunciator as recited in claim 1 further comprising temperature signal amplification means for receiving said temperature signal from said temperature sensor means and amplifying said temperature signal prior to communicating said temperature signal to said fillant determining means.

3. The temperature compensated annunciator as recited in claim 1 further comprising pressure signal amplification means for receiving said measured pressure signal from said pressure transducer means and amplifying said measured pressure signal prior to communicating said measured pressure signal to said fillant determining means.

4. The temperature compensated annunciator as recited in claim 1 further comprising user verification means for verifying the signaling means by artificially lowering the measured pressure signal to a value below the calculated pressure corresponding to the minimum operational fillant level thereby verifying the operation of said signaling means.

5. The temperature compensated annunciator as recited in claim 1 further comprising data transmitting means for transmitting temperature and pressure data to a remote monitoring station.