Claims:WE CLAIM:

1. A device for monitoring a fluid level and refillingstatus and alerting a user comprises:
a pressure sensor to compute mechanical force/stress of the fluid remaining in the reservoir and generate an electrical signal, corresponding to the mechanical force/stress signifying a volume of the fluid in the reservoir;
an ultrasonic sensor to determine the quantity of fluid available inside the reservoir;
a flow meter coupled to the pressure sensor and the ultrasonic sensor to compute an inflow data of the fluid into the reservoir; and;
a microcontroller to collect a plurality of data and communicate to the user.
2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a spring loaded onto a bellow that is coupled to the flow meter.
3. The device according to claim 1 further comprising a lid connected to the spring loaded bellow.
4. The device according to claim 1 further comprising a solenoid operated lever connected to the lid and to a switch that triggers the solenoid operated lever to open the lid.
5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the fluid is petrol, diesel, fuel or water.
6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir is a fuel tank or other mobile tanks carrying fluid from one place to another.
7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device communicates the volume of the fluid in the reservoir, the inflow of the fluid in the reservoir, the state of the lid of the reservoir and the location of the reservoir to the user via the microcontroller.
8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is Arduino.
9. The device according to claim 1, wherein inflow data of the fluid is verified with the mechanical force/stress on the pressure sensor.
10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir is that of a vehicle, and the user is a vehicle owner.

, Description:Field of Invention:
The present embodiment relates to fluid monitoring system, and more particularly to real time fuel monitoring and alert system.

Background of Invention:

Liquid consumption especially fuel in containers/reservoirs (e.g. fuel tank of vehicles, static fuel tanks of cell phone towers and generators) needs to be monitored to measure efficiency of fuel consumption and control fuel pilferage. Since the containers or reservoirs inherently involve large fuel transactions (e.g., consumption and delivery), it is necessary to monitor an amount of fuel being received and consumed on an ongoing basis. Containers or reservoirs differ in size and shapefrom vehicle to vehicle and also static fuel tanks of cell phone towers. Thus, human intervention may result in errors and is less reliable over accurate remotely monitoring methods. Manual calibration of liquid level and handling of potentially hazardous and corrosive liquids in such containers is very cumbersome.

Containers of different shape/size will have to be calibrated individually for measuring the liquid level. Typically, fuel level sensors are used for monitoring level of liquid within a tank and are resistive, capacitive, ultrasonic or electromagnetic in nature. Previously attempts have been made to monitor liquid level by measuring and calibrating sensor voltage/current versus liquid capacity by incrementally filling the container or reservoir. However, this process is very cumbersome and time consuming as the reservoir needs to be emptied first, and then filled in an incremental manner while measuring the sensor voltage at each level of filling the liquid. This process is impractical for large tanks in remote areas and may involve risk when the liquid being handled is volatile/inflammable/corrosive in nature.

In another implementation, a pre-calibrated sensor is installed in a liquid tank. This is only suitable for environments where the tank geometry and the sensor type are known upfront and tank geometry along with sensor voltage is constant at every specific level. However, this approach is unsuitable for aftermarket applications as the size and shape of the tanks vary from one to the other. Irrespective of whether the liquid is being consumed or being refilled, at any given moment, it is important to accurately estimate a quantity of liquid in a tank/container. As discussed, a liquid monitoring sensor needs to be installed to accurately calibrate for a signal from the sensor to correspond to an actual amount of liquid which is present at any given time in the tank.

Another conventional method is that a float is set on surface of a liquid .and variation in resistance is measured from the float that moves, by means of a lever, according to variations in liquid level. Yet another known embodiment employs pressure gauge to determine fuel level or any fluid level by variation of pressure. In one well-known embodiment, a sound wave or a light flux is emitted to the surface of the liquid to measure the time of returning.

Accordingly, there remains a need of an effective and real-time fuel or a fluid monitoring system.

Summary of Invention:

In an aspect, a device for monitoring a fluid level and refilling in a reservoir and alerting a user is provided. The device includes: a pressure sensor to compute mechanical force/stress of the fluid remaining in the reservoir and generate an electrical signal, corresponding to the mechanical force/stress signifying a volume of the fluid in the reservoir; an ultrasonic sensor to determine the quantity of fluid available inside the reservoir with reference to the depth;a flow meter coupled to the pressure sensor and the ultrasonic sensor to compute an inflow data of the fluid into the reservoir; and; a microcontroller to collect a plurality of data and communicate to the user.

The device further includes a spring-loaded bellow that is coupled to the flow meter. The device further includes a lid connected to a cylindrical channel which is later connected spring-loaded bellow.The device further includes a solenoid operated lever connected to the lid and to a switch that triggers the solenoid operated lever to allow opening the lid for filling the liquid inside the tank.

Brief Description of drawings:

The above-mentioned features and other advantages of this present disclosure, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the present disclosure will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the present disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a fuel monitoring device, according to an embodiment herein;
Figure 2 illustrates an exploded a flow meter device of the fuel monitoring device of Figure 1, according to an embodiment herein;
Figure 3 illustrates a perspective split view of the interior of the fuel monitoring device, according to an embodiment herein;
Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of interior of the outer casing of a fuel monitoring device, according to an embodiment herein; and
Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of the fuel monitoring device coupled to a fuel tank, according to an embodiment herein.

Detailed Description:

Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Before describing the detailed embodiments that are in accordance with the present disclosure, it should be observed that the embodiment reside primarily in combinations and the arrangement of the system according to an embodiment herein and as exemplified in FIG. 1 through FIG. 5

Any embodiment described herein is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over another embodiment. All of the embodiment described in this detailed description are illustrative, and provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure and not to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the present embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present embodiment and disclosure cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

In the following description, for the purpose of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the arrangement of the system according to an embodiment herein. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present embodiment can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, structures are shown in block diagram form only in order to avoid obscuring the present invention.

As mentioned, there remains a need for an effective fuel monitoring system; the embodiment herein addresses the need by providing a real time fluid monitoring system or device that enables exact reading of the amount of fluid flowing into a reservoir be communicated. The fluid monitoring system or device communicates to a user, the amount of fluid remaining in a tank, through a text message or other available means, whenever tank or reservoir is opened and also when the tank or reservoir is closed to communicate amount of fluid that has entered the tank or reservoir. The device is also capable of communicating past and current data regarding the inflow of the fluid into the tank or reservoir together with the location of each such refill. In an embodiment, any liquid or fluid may be measured. The liquid may include water, fuel, and other such liquids or fluids.
Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a liquid monitoring device 100, according an embodiment herein complete. The fuel monitoring device 100 includes a pressure sensor 102, an ultrasonic sensor 104, a fuel flow meter 106, a bellow 108, a spring 110, an outer casing 112, a solenoid operated lever 114, and a communication module 116. The pressure sensor 102 and the ultrasonic sensor 104 are coupled to the fuel flow meter 106, which is coupled to the bellow 108. The spring 110 is wrapped around or loaded on to the bellow 108. The assembly is covered by the outer casing 112. The outer casing 112 supports the solenoid operated lever 114 on its circumference, and the communication module 116 is either coupled to the outer casing 112 as an attachment connected to the device 100 by wire or wirelessly (or) the communication module consists of electrical and electronic circuits, communication devices shall be kept as a secured . The flow meter106 is used to measure the amount of fuel flowing into a tank. The ultrasonic sensor 104 is used to determine the quantity of fuel available inside the fuel tank and the pressure sensor 102 is used to determine the density of the fuel filled inside the tank.

The bellow 108 loaded with the spring 110 positioned inside the outer casing 112 thatis inserted inside the inlet of a fuel tank. The solenoid operated lever 114 is aligned to the outer surface of the casing 112. The device 100 is connected and is in communication with the communication module 116. In an embodiment, the module 116 is an Arduino based microcontroller. Before filling the tank of a vehicle with a fuel, a switch from the driver’s cabin may be actuated to activate the solenoid operated lever 114 to get retracted, and an SMS consisting of the location of the vehicle, amount of fuel available in the tank, is sent to a vehicle owner. As soon as the filling is initiated the flow meter 106 monitors and calculates the amount of fuel flowing into the tank. The springloaded bellow110 and 108 arrangement is given so as to accommodate longer fuel filling guns or pipes in petrol station outlets. When the gun or fuel delivering pipe is inserted into the tank, the bellow 108 ensures to extend it inside the tank. The spring 110 loaded to the bellow 108 allows it to be retracted as soon as the fuel filling is over. The pressure sensor 102 detects the amount of fuel available in the tank by determining the density, which is then communicated to the communication module 116. Once the fuel filling is over and the fuel-filling gun is removed, the ultrasonic sensor 104 calculates the amount of fuel available in the tank after filling process is over and communicates the details of the quantity of fuel filled and the total quantity of fuel available through an SMS to the vehicle owner via the communication module 116.

The pressure sensor 102 computes mechanical force/stress of the fluid remaining in the reservoir/tank and generate an electrical signal, corresponding to the mechanical force/stress signifying a volume of the fluid in the reservoir.

Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of a flow meter of the fuel monitoring device of Figure 1, according to an embodiment herein. The flow meter 106 includes two housings 202 and 204 that receive the pressure sensor 102 and the ultrasonic sensor 104.

Figure 3 illustrates a perspective split view of the interior of the fuel monitoring device, according to an embodiment herein. The interior of the fuel monitoring device 100 includes a spring loaded lid 302. The lid 302 is usually in closed position thus remaining flat. This protects the fuel tank from dust as well as evaporation. The solenoid operated lever 114 always keeps the lid 302 in flat position and only when the driver actuates the switch from the cabin; it releases the lever so that the lid 302 is flipped down by inserting the fuel filling gun. The bellow 108 attached to the flow meter 106 expands to a certain depth in case of longer filling guns and the normal expansion of the bellow 108 is arrested by the spring 110 which always keeps the bellow 108 retracted.

Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of interior of the outer casing of a fuel monitoring device, according to an embodiment herein.The top of the springloaded bellow 110 &108 is fused to the bottom of the casing 112. The casing 112 includes a number of lid positioners 402 and stoppers 404. The lid positioner 402 holds the lid 302 screwed to the casing 112 and the solenoid operated lever 114 ensures the position of the lid 302 as closed during no operation. The entire casing 112 is inserted into the fuel tank and fit to place.
Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of the fuel monitoring device coupled to a fuel tank, according to an embodiment herein. The stoppers 504 on the outer casing 112 are tightened to inlet of the tank 502. In a preferred embodiment, the device 100 is attached irremovably on the fuel tank inlet through the stoppers 504 on the casing 112.

In an embodiment, fluid monitoring device 100 includes a GPS module to determine the location of the tank or a vehicle and a GSM / CDMA module to communicate to the vehicle owner or the person who monitors the vehicle accordingly.