Liquid level sensor and liquid level estimation method
US7845224B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 20, 2005 |
| Grant date | Dec 7, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 27, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01F23/266
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A sensor for detecting a liquid level, including a measurement capacitor, a reference capacitor, an integrating capacitor, a calibration capacitor, a controller, an amplifier, a comparator, and a complementary calibration capacitor. The controller implements operations, over accumulation periods and for given target and discharge capacitors, of a target capacitor charging, a charge transfer, a decision, a conditional discharge, and a return. The target and discharge capacitors given at each period are taken from pairs of capacitors, including the measurement and calibration capacitors and the reference and complementary calibration capacitors. A method estimates the liquid level using the sensor in a vehicle.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.