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.

Date of Patent:
Apr. 17, 2012

Filed:

May. 12, 2008
Applicants:

Adrianus Leonardus David Van Schie, Zuid Holland, NL;

Jan Leendert Stolk, Zuid Holland, NL;

Inventors:

Adrianus Leonardus David van Schie, Zuid Holland, NL;

Jan Leendert Stolk, Zuid Holland, NL;

Assignee:

Enraf B.V., Delft, NL;

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G08B 21/00 (2006.01); G01F 23/00 (2006.01); B01D 21/26 (2006.01); B67D 1/00 (2006.01); G01M 3/04 (2006.01); G05B 13/02 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

A method includes receiving information associated with a level of material in a tank, where the tank has a hatch. The method also includes determining whether the level of material in the tank experiences a specified variation within a critical zone associated with the hatch. The specified variation is indicative of the hatch being open while the tank is being filled. In addition, the method includes generating an alarm when the level of material in the tank experiences the specified variation. Determining whether the level of material in the tank experiences the specified variation could be based on an entrance level speed of the material, which identifies a rate at which the level of material in the tank is increasing when the material level crosses a lower bound of the critical zone. Also, no alarms could be generated when the level of material in the tank is outside the critical zone.


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