Dual sensor distance measuring apparatus and method
US6259516A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 2, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jul 10, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 2, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S17/88
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Apparatus and method for determining the level of a material in a vessel. In one embodiment, and optical emitter emits light onto a rotating mirror. The light reflects off of the rotating mirror and propagates into a vessel. At a first time, the light reflects back and is detected by a first detector. At a second time, the light is reflected back and is detected by a second detector. The distance to the surface of the material in the vessel can be determined using the difference between the first and second times. The volume of the material may also be determined based on this distance. Additional embodiments include rotating the light source itself, maintaining an inert gas near a surface of a window located between the steering mirror and an interior area of the vessel, tilting the steering mirror and first and second detectors to obtain a reflection at maximum intensity, and accounting for the tilt in calculating the volume.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.