Automatically switching valve with remote signaling

• US 6,763,843 B1
• Filed: 01/08/2003
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William H. Dickerson Jr
• Original Assignee: William H. Dickerson Jr
• Inventors: Primrose, Paul D., Dickerson, William H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hepperle, Stephen M.
• Application Number:
  US10/339,686
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 137/1, 137/12, 137/113, 137/487.5, 137/551, 137/557, 251/129.04
• US Class Current: 137/1
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/045 Automatic change-over switching assembly for bottled gas systems with two (or more) gas containers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/013 Two or more vessels
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0326 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/057 by chips
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/0153 Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/042 with change-over from one vessel to another
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/032 using computers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/034 using wireless transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/043 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0478 Position or presence
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/072 Action when predefined value is reached
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/015 Facilitating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0379 By fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2567 Alternate or successive inflows
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2569 Control by depletion of source
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8326 Fluid pressure responsive indicator, recorder or alarm

Abstract

A programmable circuit detects drop in pressure of a supplied pressurized gas below a predetermined threshold pressure and automatically switches to a different supply of pressurized gas and automatically contacts a remotely located host computer. The circuit sends status data to the host computer and enters a server mode in which the circuit performs commands issued by the host computer. The commands include commands to change data of the programmable circuit and to download new programming. The predetermined threshold pressure is established by manually setting the supplied pressurized gas to a desired pressure and causing the programmable circuit to measure the pressure of supplied gas and to store the measured pressure as the threshold pressure.

Claims

1. A method for administrating a remote installation of pressurized gas, the method comprising:

receiving data indicating that at least one pressurized gas supply at the remote installation has a gas pressure below a predetermined threshold pressure;

dispatching a replacement gas supply in response; and

sending one or more commands through a communications network for execution by the remote installation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving data comprises:

receiving status data representing the status of the remote installation.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the status data further includes identification of the pressurized gas supply.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving data comprises receiving data through the communications network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein dispatching comprises sending a signal through a dispatch communications network to a vehicle wherein the signal identifies the remote installation of pressurized gas.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the dispatch communications network and the first-mentioned communications network are the same communications network.