Patents by Inventor Thomas P. Byram

Thomas P. Byram has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6016697
    Abstract: A capacitive level detection system provides a highly accurate determination of liquid level within a container. The primary sensor is an elongate capacitive probe positioned vertically within the container so that a lower portion of the probe is in liquid and an upper portion of the probe extends above the surface of the liquid. A capacitive liquid reference sensor is proximate the lower end of the probe, and a capacitive gas reference sensor is proximate the upper end of the probe. A controller is provided for driving each of the sensors with an electrical signal and reading a resultant value corresponding to the capacitance of each of the sensors. The controller is configured to enable the system to be calibrated prior to installation by placing each of the sensors in a calibration or identical medium, reading sensor values corresponding to capacitances for each of the sensors, and calculating and storing calibration values based on the sensor values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: American Magnetics, Inc.
    Inventors: L. Michael McCulloch, Richard E. Bruer, Thomas P. Byram