Liquid level detection gauge and associated methods
US6962078B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 24, 2002 |
| Grant date | Nov 8, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 16, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01Q7/00
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A gauge for detecting the level of ink in a printer's ink reservoir includes: a transmitter antenna adapted to be positioned adjacent to an outer surface of a printer's ink reservoir; a transmitter circuit operatively coupled to the transmitter antenna for generating a radio-frequency signal for transmission by the transmitter antenna; a receiver antenna; a receiver circuit for obtaining at least a portion of the radio-frequency signal received by the receiver antenna; and a processing circuit, operatively coupled to the receiver circuit, and configured to determine an approximate level of ink in the ink reservoir based upon, at least in part, a characteristic of the obtained portion of the radio-frequency signal, such as a voltage level of the obtained portion of the radio-frequency signal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.