Integrated liquid level and auxiliary sensor system and method
US5535625A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 14, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jul 16, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 14, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01F23/72
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A magnetostrictive liquid level probe in a double-walled liquid container develops liquid level data and external sensors in the space between the walls respond to the presence of liquid leaked into the space from inside or outside the container. Other sensors external of the liquid level probe may sense other conditions. The probe electronics determines binary states of the external sensors and digitally encodes the states for inclusion in data transmission of the liquid level information to a remote controller via a two-wire transmission line. One embodiment develops pulses spaced as a digital function of the sensor states and includes liquid level data between the pulses for transmission. The pulse space is measured at the remote controller and decoded to determine the external sensor states, while the liquid level data is analyzed to determine the contents of the container.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.