Monitoring technology

• US 7,304,588 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Independent Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Independent Technologies Inc (DataOnline LLC)
• Inventors: Ferguson, Douglas H., Siegfried, Tim, Ingalsbe, Daryl, Smith, Luke, Fangmeier, Jim, Molenaar, Greg, Meed, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US10/901,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20060036515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.22, 340/870.11, 340/870.16, 340/870.07, 73/615.9, 733/13, 702/50, 702/55
• US Class Current: 340/870.16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10

Abstract

An apparatus for monitoring an article or system, particularly an LP or propane tank, includes a transmission unit, a base unit and a host unit. The transmission unit is disposed on or near the article or system and detects at least one parameter related to the article or system and send information related to the detected parameter. The base unit is disposed at a predetermined location remote from the article or system. The base unit receives information related to the detected parameter from the transmission unit. The host unit is disposed at a location remote from the base unit and the transmission unit. The host unit receives information related to the detected parameter from the base unit for management purposes. A method of monitoring an article or system such as a fuel tank is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring the fluid fill level in a tank of the type having a fill level gauge with a rotatable magnet in a gauge head, comprising:

(a) a transmission unit adapted to be disposed on or near the tank, the transmitter being constructed and arranged to detect at least the fill level of the tank and send information related to the detected fill level, the transmission unit comprising a Hall effect sensor which mates with the head of the tank fill level gauge and tracks the rotational position of the magnet in the gauge head;

(b) a base unit adapted to be disposed at a predetermined location remote from the tank, the base unit being constructed and arranged to receive information related to the detected fill level from the transmission unit; and

(c) a host unit adapted to be disposed at a location remote from the base unit and the transmission unit, the host unit being constructed and arranged to receive information related to the detected fill level from the base unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tank consisting of the group of tanks consisting of fuel tank, water tank, air tank, vapor tank, chemical tank, and feed tank.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fuel tank is a propane tank.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission unit further comprises a battery power supply, a controller connected to the power supply and to the sensor, the controller including a power management system for sending information to the base unit only when predetermined changes in the article or system being monitored occur or when predetermined environmental factors are sensed, and a radio frequency transmission send element connected to the controller.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a sensor selected from the group of sensors consisting of a temperature sensor and a clock.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base unit comprises a power supply, a controller connected to the power supply, a transmission receive element connected to the controller for receiving information from the transmission unit, and a telephone line interface connected to the controller and adapted for connection to a telephone line for sending and receiving information to and from the host unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the base unit further comprises a display connected to the controller for displaying information pertaining to the article or system being monitored.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the base unit further comprises a sensor selected from the group of sensors consisting of a temperature sensor, a power supply sensor, and a clock.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the power supply comprises an AC to DC power adapter.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller includes non-volatile memory for storing configuration information sent to the base unit from the host unit.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the transmission receive element is an RF receiver.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the display provides a large, wide angle viewing perspective.

13. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller has a monitor mode which waits for, receives and stores information from the transmission unit, and a report mode wherein stored information received from the transmission unit is sent to the host unit via the telephone interface.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base unit reports data to the host unit independent of the presence of external, non-telephone line power.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the host unit comprises a computer, a telephone line interface connected to the computer and adapted for connection to a telephone line;

and software resident in the computer for managing information related to the detected parameter.

16. An apparatus for monitoring and managing the fill level of a propane or LP fuel tank of the type having a fill level gauge with a rotatable magnet in a gauge head, comprising:

(a) a transmission unit adapted to be disposed on the fuel tank, the transmitter being constructed and arranged to detect at least the fill level of the fuel tank and send information related to the detected fill level, the transmission unit including;

(i) a battery power supply,

(ii) a controller connected to the power supply, the controller including a power management system for sending information to the base unit only when predetermined changes in the fuel tank being monitored occur or when predetermined environmental factors are sensed,

(iii) a sensor connected to the controller and communicatively coupled to the fuel tank being monitored, the sensor being comprising a Hall effect sensor which mates with the head of the tank fill level gauge and tracks the rotational position of the magnet in the gauge head, and

(iv) a radio frequency transmission send element connected to the controller;

(b) a base unit adapted to be disposed at a predetermined location remote from the fuel tank, the base unit being constructed and arranged to receive information related to the detected fill level from the transmission unit, the base unit including;

(i) a power supply,

(ii) a controller connected to the power supply,

(iii) a radio frequency transmission receive element connected to the controller for receiving information from the transmission unit,

(iv) a telephone line interface connected to the controller and adapted for connection to a telephone line for sending and receiving information to and from the host unit,

(v) a sensor connected to the controller, and

(vi) a display connected to the controller for displaying information pertaining to the fuel tank being monitored; and

(c) a host unit adapted to be disposed at a location remote from the base unit and the transmission unit, the host unit being constructed and arranged to receive information related to the detected parameter from the base unit, the host unit including;

(i) a computer,

(ii) a telephone line interface connected to the computer and adapted for connection to a telephone line; and

(iii) software resident in the computer for managing information related to the detected parameter.

17. A method of monitoring the fluid fill level in a tank of the type having a fill level gauge with a rotatable magnet in a gauge head, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting at least the fill level related to the tank at the location of the tank, the detecting comprising the steps of mating a Hall effect sensor with the head of the tank fill level gauge and tracking the rotational position of the magnet in the gauge head via the sensor;

(b) sending information related to the detected parameter to a predetermined first location remote from the tank, and

(c) sending the information related to the detected fill level from the first remote location to a second location remote from the tank and from the first remote location.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the method monitors the fill level of a fuel tank.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the fuel tank is a propane tank.

20. A method of monitoring a fill level of a propane or LP fuel tank of the type having a fill level gauge with a rotatable magnet in a gauge head, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting at least the fill level related to the tank at the location of the tanks, the detecting step including the sub-steps of;

(i) mating a battery powered Hall effect sensor with the head of the tank fill level gauge, and

(ii) tracking the rotational position of the magnet in the gauge head via the sensor;

(b) sending information related to the detected fill level to a predetermined base location remote from the tank via radio frequency transmission,

(c) receiving via radio transmission, storing and displaying the sent information related to the detected fill level at the base location;

(d) sending the stored information related to the detected fill level from the base location to a host location remote from the tank and from the base location via a telephone link;

(e) receiving, via the telephone link, the sent information related to the detected fill level at the host location; and

(f) storing and processing the information related to the detected fill level at the host location.