Method and apparatus for monitoring operational performance of fluid storage systems

• US 5,757,664 A
• Filed: 06/04/1996
• Issued: 05/26/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Warren Rogers Associates, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Warren Rogers Associates, Inc.
• Inventors: Rogers, Warren F., Collins, John R., Jones, Jillanne B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cuong H.
• Application Number:
  US08/658,139
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 364/509-510, 364/569, 364/479.06, 364/571.02, 364/551.01, 379/106, 73/317, 73/49.2, 73/292, 73/313, 73/149, 371/27, 371/22.6, 324/73.1, 156/69
• US Class Current: 700/232
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/802 Particular electronic circuits for digital processing equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/804 containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level

Abstract

The operational performance of a fluid storage and dispensing system is monitored by measurement apparatus which measures a volume associated with the system. A plurality of measurement data is collected from the measurement apparatus in a form readable by a computer and is stored in a compressed matrix format in a computer memory. The compressed matrix format is statistically analyzed to determine operational monitoring information regarding the system. The collected measurement data may also include error data resulting from the measurement apparatus. The method and apparatus permits precise monitoring of the operational performance of the fluid storage system without requiring presumptions as to the accuracy of the measurement apparatus.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a fluid storage and dispensing system, said system comprising measurement apparatus for measuring a volume associated with said system, said method comprising:

collecting a plurality of measurement data from said measurement apparatus in a form readable by a computer;

storing in a computer memory said plurality of measurement data in a compressed matrix format which is a product of a data matrix and the transpose of the data matrix; and

statistically analyzing said compressed matrix format to determine operational monitoring information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said statistically analyzing step includes calculating error data resulting from said measurement apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the presence of operational defects in said system.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring the accuracy of said measurement apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the volume of fluid in said system.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether a quantity of fluid removed from said system is caused by a leak in said system.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising delivering a warning that a leak has been detected in said system.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said collecting step is performed while said system is operating.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said collecting step is performed continuously at periodic intervals.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said collecting step is performed automatically under the control of said computer.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising querying said measurement apparatus under the control of said computer.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said collecting step comprises estimating an initial volume of fluid in said system.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said product is formed by addition of partial products of each of a plurality of partitions of said data matrix with the transpose of each said partition.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said measurement apparatus includes a volumetric gauge, a dispensing apparatus and a sales recording device.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting said measurement data to a host processor to perform said statistically analyzing step.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting said compressed matrix format to a host computer to perform said statistically analyzing step.

17. A method of monitoring a fluid storage and dispensing system, said system comprising a plurality of measurement apparatus for measuring a volume associated with said system, said method comprising:

simultaneously collecting measurement data from said plurality of measurement apparatus in a form readable by a computer to determine a change in said volume;

repeating said collecting step to obtain a plurality of said measurement data from said plurality of measurement apparatus;

storing said plurality of measurement data in a compressed matrix format in a computer memory; and

statistically analyzing said compressed matrix format to determine operational monitoring information.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising estimating an initial value of said volume during said analyzing step.

19. An apparatus for monitoring a fluid storage and dispensing system, said apparatus comprising:

measurement apparatus for measuring a volume associated with said system; and

a computer comprising a processing means for collecting a plurality of measurement data from said measurement apparatus and a memory for storing said plurality of measurement data in a compressed matrix format which is a product of a data matrix and the transpose of the data matrix;

wherein said processing means performs statistical analysis of said compressed matrix format to determine operational monitoring information.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said system comprises an underground storage tank.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said system comprises an above-ground storage tank.

24. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said measurement apparatus includes a volumetric gauge, a dispensing apparatus and a sales recording device.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said volumetric gauge comprises a probe disposed in said system.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said probe is a magnetostrictive tank probe.

27. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said dispensing apparatus comprises a totalizer.

28. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said sales recording device simulates operation of a point of sale terminal.

29. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said measurement data is collected simultaneously from said various measurement apparatus.

31. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said product is formed by addition of partial products of each of a plurality of partitions of said data matrix with the transpose of each said partition.

20. A method of monitoring a fluid storage and dispensing system, said system comprising a plurality of measurement apparatus for measuring a volume associated with said system, said method comprising:

simultaneously collecting measurement data from said plurality of measurement apparatus in a form readable by a computer to determine a change in said volume;

repeating said collecting step to obtain a plurality of said measurement data from said plurality of measurement apparatus;

storing in a computer memory said plurality of measurement data in a compressed matrix format which is a product of a data matrix and the transpose of the data matrix; and

statistically analyzing said compressed matrix format to determine operational monitoring information.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising estimating an initial value of said volume during said analyzing step.

30. A method of monitoring a fluid storage and dispensing system, said system comprising measurement apparatus for measuring a volume associated with said system, said method comprising:

collecting a plurality of measurement data from said measurement apparatus in a form readable by a computer;

storing in a computer memory said plurality of measurement data in a compressed matrix format which is a product of a data matrix and the transpose of the data matrix;

statistically analyzing said compressed matrix format;

determining whether a quantity of fluid removed from said system is caused by a leak in said system; and

delivering a warning that a leak has been detected in said system.