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:
Oct. 02, 2007
Filed:
Oct. 07, 2005
Marco Zuleta, Miami, FL (US);
William W. LI, Miami, FL (US);
Elgardo Echevarria, Miami, FL (US);
Tan Nguyen, Pembroke Pines, FL (US);
Rongchang Xin, Miami, FL (US);
Marco Zuleta, Miami, FL (US);
William W. Li, Miami, FL (US);
Elgardo Echevarria, Miami, FL (US);
Tan Nguyen, Pembroke Pines, FL (US);
Rongchang Xin, Miami, FL (US);
Beckman Coulter, Inc., Fullerton, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for sensing different levels of liquids in their respective containers in a liquid-consuming and/or producing instrument system. According to a preferred embodiment, an elongated liquid-sensing probe having axially spaced electrodes adapted to sense liquid at multiple levels is arranged in each container of liquid. A controller, e.g. a suitably programmed microprocessor, operates to selectively poll different pairs of electrodes carried by the probe to determine whether or not the polled electrode pairs are immersed in the contained liquid. Preferably, the polling circuit comprises an electronically-controlled resistor that serves to normalize the level-sensing output signal for liquids of different bulk resistivity.