Patent · US Active

Ethernet-based multi-channels switch, channel arbitration method and communication method thereof

US11398974B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
0References
18Claims
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Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 17, 2018
Grant dateJul 26, 2022
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 7, 2039

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L49/351
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and apparatuses for determining a liquid level inside a container by using an effective capacitance associated with one or more sense electrodes that are located inside the container. Embodiments may support different types of liquids, including water, and support different electrical appliances, including electric kettles, coffee makers, and water treatment appliances having a non-transparency housing such as stainless steel and black color Lucite or glass that cannot directly indicate the water level. A value of capacitance characteristic associated with a sensing electrode is determined. The water level may be displayed to the user on any kind of electronic panel, e.g., liquid crystal display (LCD), light emitting diode (LED) display, or vacuum fluorescent display (VFD). Also, a correction factor may be applied to a determined capacitance associated with a sensing electrode to compensate for the operating temperature of the sensor electrode and the liquid.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.