The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 07, 1992
Filed:
Sep. 19, 1990
Joseph W Maresca, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
James W Starr, Bound Brook, NJ (US);
Christopher P Wilson, La Honda, CA (US);
Vista Research, Inc., Mountain View, CA (US);
Abstract
Methods for measuring liquid levels and leak rates in a storage tank, using an acoustic transducer and a quasi-static reference device that positions an acoustic target within a predetermined distance range below the surface of the liquid. A method for measuring the height of the surface of a liquid, i.e., liquid level. In a tank comprising the steps of (a) positioning the emitting and receiving acoustic transducers below the surface of the liquid, (b) positioning a plurality of fiducials separated by known distances such that at least two of the fiducials lie below the surface of the liquid, (c) emitting acoustic signals, (d) receiving and measuring the travel times for the reflections of the acoustic signals from the liquid surface and the fiducials, (e) estimating the speed of sound in the liquid using the travel times for the acoustic signals in the liquid between at least two of the fiducials, and (f) calculating the height of the liquid surface by multiplying the speed of sound in the liquid by the travel time from the liquid surface to a known height above the bottom of the liquid, and adding the known height to the product of the speed of sound and travel time.