Method and system for measuring and remotely reporting the liquid level of tanks and the usage thereof

• US 6,336,362 B1
• Filed: 01/22/1999
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roy A. Duenas
• Original Assignee: Roy A. Duenas
• Inventors: Duenas, Roy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garber, Charles D.
• Application Number:
  US09/235,247
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 732/90.R, 733/05, 733/09, 733/13, 733/14, 733/17
• US Class Current: 73/313
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/0755 involving digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/366 using optoelectrically actuated indicating means

Abstract

A system and a method for periodically detecting the level of liquid propane in industrial, commercial and residential tanks; and transmitting this information from a remote location to a host system located at a host facility or at the site of the propane supplier in order to, among other purposes, prevent out-of-gas situations to improve safety and minimize economic and civil liability; to optimize and schedule refill trips to the tank and increase customer service and satisfaction; to keep track of propane usage on a periodically or daily basis for billing purposes; to know when the tanks have been serviced or refilled for personnel control and anti-fraud purposes; to keep an inventory of available empty space in the tanks to optimize the purchasing and delivery of bulk propane through the future options market.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the content level of a tank, said system comprising a host system and a remotely located system wherein:

a) said host system and said remotely located system are capable of direct or indirect communication with each other; and

b) a sensor unit associated with said remotely located system comprising an encoded disc, wherein said encoded disc rotates as a function of the content level of said tank;

at least one light source, wherein light is projected onto or passed through said encoded disc; and

at least one optical sensor, wherein said optical sensor receives light reflected off of or passed through said encoded disc and converts the light into a signal representative of content level, wherein said encoded disc comprises at least one color-coded track radially distributed about said disc to be read by said optical sensor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said optical sensor is a colorimetric sensor.

3. A sensor unit for measuring the content level of a tank comprising an encoded disc, wherein said encoded disc rotates as a function of the content level of said tank;

at least one light source, wherein light is projected onto or passed through said encoded disc; and

at least one optical sensor, wherein said optical sensor receives light reflected off of or passed through said encoded disc and converts the light into a signal, wherein said encoded disc comprises at least one color-coded track radially distributed about said disc to be read by said optical sensors.

6. A method for remotely monitoring the content level of a tank comprising sensing the content level of said tank with the sensor unit of claim 3.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said encoded disc further comprises at least one color-coded track radially distributed about said disc to be read by said optical sensors.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said color-coded tracks are designed with a gradient shading to represent angular orientation of said disc.

4. A sensor unit for measuring the content level of a tank comprising an encoded disc, wherein said encoded disc rotates as a function of the content level of said tank;

at least one light source, wherein light is projected onto or passed through said encoded disc; and

at least one optical sensor, wherein said optical sensor receives light reflected off of or passed through said encoded disc and converts the light into a signal, and wherein said encoded disc comprises at least one binary-coded track radially distributed about said disc to be read by said optical sensors, and wherein said encoded disc further comprises at least one color-coded track radially distributed about said disc to be read by said optical sensors.

5. The sensor unit of claim 4, wherein said color-coded tracks are designed with a gradient shading to represent angular orientation of said disc.