Liquid registration and control system having networked functional modules

• US 5,706,273 A
• Filed: 06/10/1996
• Issued: 01/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronic Warfare Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronic Warfare Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Guerreri, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KEMPER, MELANIE A
• Application Number:
  US08/660,835
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 364/509, 364/510, 364/478, 364/479, 364/465, 73/3, 73/861, 73/861.01, 73/861.02, 73/861.03, 73/195, 73/197, 73/204.14, 73/204.18, 73/204.19, 73/272 A, 73/861.77, 73/861.78, 340/870.02, 340/870.04, 340/870.18, 340/870.19, 340/870.23, 340/870.24, 222/54, 222/71, 222/23, 222/55, 222/424, 137/87.01, 137/87.03, 137/101.31, 137/106, 137/141, 137/493, 137/551, 141/94
• US Class Current: 700/283
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/08 Arrangements of devices for controlling, indicating, metering or registering quantity or price of liquid transferred arrangement of flow- or pressure-control valves B67D7/36; computing, calculating, counting G06; coin-freed apparatus for dispensing fluids G07F13/00; prepayment devices for metering liquids G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/222 involving digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/024 involving digital counting

Abstract

A liquid registration and control system (30) has an intrinsically safe (IS) fiber optic network (56) for the transmission of digital data between various modules (42, 54, 58, 146) in the system (30). The system (30) modules (42, 54, 58, 146) are dedicated to various liquid delivery functions and operational capabilities and send messages to each other over the network (56).

Claims

1. A system for liquid registration and control, comprising:

a solid state pulser for sensing the flow of a liquid through a passage and for providing a series of pulses forming a liquid flow rate signal indicative of a rate of said liquid flow, a frequency of said pulses being indicative of said liquid flow rate;

temperature sensing means for detecting a temperature of said liquid and for providing a temperature signal indicative of said temperature;

meter dedicated processor means responsive to said liquid flow rate signal, said temperature signal and a selected correction factor for modifying, on a pulse-by-pulse basis, a liquid delivery value indicative of an amount of liquid flowing through said passage in a non-linear fashion using a multi-factor polynomial, said meter dedicated processor means comprising;

quadrature pulse detection means for detecting the flow of said liquid in each of two directions and for increasing a liquid delivery value when flow in a first one of said directions is detected and for decreasing said liquid delivery value when flow in a second one of said directions is detected, and

temperature volume correction means for adjusting said liquid flow rate signal responsive to said temperature signal;

local control console means for displaying said liquid delivery value; and

system bus means for conveying said liquid delivery value from said meter dedicated processor means to said local control console means, said system bus means including data network means for detecting and correcting network errors, performing network addressing, setting packet control parameters, and performing automatic retries.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said temperature volume correction means comprises:

correction factor selecting means for selecting a correction factor from a plurality of correction factors responsive to said temperature signal; and

liquid flow rate signal adjustment means for adjusting said liquid flow rate signal according to said correction factor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said liquid flow rate signal comprises a pulse train and said liquid flow rate signal adjustment means adjusts said liquid flow rate signal by altering a time duration between consecutive pulses in said pulse train.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said local control console means comprises correction factor generation means for generating said plurality of correction factors and for providing said plurality of correction factors to said meter dedicated processor means.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said local control console means comprises:

selection means for receiving an operator input and for providing a signal indicative of a type of value to be displayed; and

display means for selectively displaying a value representing liquid flow during a continuous delivery period and liquid flow during a cumulative period responsive to said selection means.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said system bus means comprises a fiber optic network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said system bus means is further for conveying equipment-independent messages generated by one of said means to another of said means.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said messages include at least one of volume data messages, temperature data messages, and status messages.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

printer means for printing information generated by at least one of said meter dedicated processor means and said local command console means, said printer means being connected to said system bus means.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

valve control means for controlling said liquid flow through said passage, said valve control means being responsive to said local control console means.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said local control console means comprises preset means for terminating said liquid flow when said liquid delivery value equals a predetermined amount.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein:

said system further comprises pressure detection means connected to said meter dedicated processor means for indicating a pressure of said liquid flowing in said passage; and

said local control console means comprises means for actuating said valve control means to terminate said liquid flow when said indicated pressure is less than a predetermined level.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising RAM card interface means for storing data generated by said meter dedicated processor means and said local control console means.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising radio link means for exchanging data generated by said meter dedicated processor means and said local control console means with a base station.