Patents by Inventor James Robert Champion

James Robert Champion 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: 7908920
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining a level of a liquid in a tank is provided. The apparatus comprises a probe and electronics. The probe passes into the tank and is immersed in the liquid. The probe includes a fiducial in spaced relation with a distal end. The electronics are operably coupled to the probe. The electronics include a signal generator propagating a signal along the probe and a signal receiver receiving the signal propagated along the probe. The electronics determine a velocity of propagation and/or an amount of time for the signal to travel between the fiducial and the distal end. The level of the liquid in the tank is then determined using the velocity of propagation and/or amount of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: James Robert Champion, William P. Schenk, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7634945
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a level of a fluid and detecting water in a storage container is provided. The apparatus comprises a signal-based fluid level measurement apparatus and a water detection device. The signal-based fluid level measurement apparatus has a first multistatic probe conveying a first signal and a second multistatic probe conveying a second signal. The first and second multistatic probes are electrically coupled by a float-coupler. The signal-based fluid level measurement apparatus determines the level of the fluid in the storage container based at least in part on a time delay between the first and second signals. The water detection device is operably coupled to the fluid level measurement apparatus. The water detection device monitors at least one of conduction and a dielectric constant between exposed ends of the first and second multistatic probes. As such, a presence of the water in the storage tank is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventor: James Robert Champion
  • Publication number: 20090151446
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a level of a fluid and detecting water in a storage container is provided. The apparatus comprises a signal-based fluid level measurement apparatus and a water detection device. The signal-based fluid level measurement apparatus has a first multistatic probe conveying a first signal and a second multistatic probe conveying a second signal. The first and second multistatic probes are electrically coupled by a float-coupler. The signal-based fluid level measurement apparatus determines the level of the fluid in the storage container based at least in part on a time delay between the first and second signals. The water detection device is operably coupled to the fluid level measurement apparatus. The water detection device monitors at least one of conduction and a dielectric constant between exposed ends of the first and second multistatic probes. As such, a presence of the water in the storage tank is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventor: James Robert Champion
  • Publication number: 20090145219
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining a level of a liquid in a tank is provided. The apparatus comprises a probe and electronics. The probe passes into the tank and is immersed in the liquid. The probe includes a fiducial in spaced relation with a distal end. The electronics are operably coupled to the probe. The electronics include a signal generator propagating a signal along the probe and a signal receiver receiving the signal propagated along the probe. The electronics determine a velocity of propagation and/or an amount of time for the signal to travel between the fiducial and the distal end. The level of the liquid in the tank is then determined using the velocity of propagation and/or amount of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: James Robert Champion, William P. Schenk, JR.
  • Patent number: 7483795
    Abstract: A method of determining a temperature and a pressure in a tank is provided. The method comprises the steps of obtaining sensor data and calculating coefficients. Then, a bridge resistance is ratiometrically determined from a bridge voltage. A temperature is calculated with the coefficients and the bridge resistance. Thereafter, a transition from a temperature measurement mode to a pressure measurement mode is made. A voltage per resistance is calculated with the coefficients and a differential voltage. Then, a normalized voltage is calculated using the voltage per resistance, the differential voltage, and the bridge resistance to indirectly compensating for temperature. A pressure is calculated with the coefficients and the normalized voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: Wojtek Miller, Kenneth Alan Cupples, James Robert Champion
  • Patent number: 7262607
    Abstract: The disclosed technology can be used in the development and operation of multistatic probes that can characterize substances and relationships between substances. A multistatic probe can include transmitting and receiving conductive elements that are electrically distinct and which are capable of conveying electromagnetic energy to/from a substance of interest. The transmitting and receiving conductive elements can be arranged to be in contact with at least one dielectric mismatch boundary between substances of interest, whereby an electromagnetic signal transmitted on the transmitting conductive element causes a corresponding electromagnetic signal to be coupled to the receiving conductive element in response to the transmitted signal being in proximity to the dielectric mismatch boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: James Robert Champion, William Peters Schenk, Jr., Kenneth Alan Cupples
  • Patent number: 7191072
    Abstract: A temperature and pressure measuring circuit is provided. The circuit comprises an uncompensated pressure transducer, an analog-to-digital converter, a reference resistive device, and first and second switches. The transducer has variable resistive devices between first, second, third, and fourth bridge nodes. The analog-to-digital converter has first and second reference inputs and first and second differential inputs. When the first switch couples the first differential input and the third bridge node and the second switch couples the second differential input and a ground, a bridge voltage is measurable and a bridge resistance is ratiometrically determinable. The bridge resistance is employed to calculate a temperature. When the first switch couples the first differential input and the first bridge node and the second switch couples the second differential input and the second bridge node, a differential voltage is measurable. The differential voltage is employed to calculate a pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: James Robert Champion, Kenneth Alan Cupples, Wojtek Miller
  • Publication number: 20040059508
    Abstract: The disclosed technology pertains to multistatic probes that can determine distances associated with points of interest. A multistatic probe can include transmitting and receiving conductive elements that are electrically distinct and which are capable of conveying electromagnetic energy in proximity to/from points of interest. The conductive elements can be arranged to be adjacent to a coupler that is positioned at a point of interest, whereby an electromagnetic signal transmitted on the transmitting conductive element causes a change in capacitance in the transmitting conductive element upon the electromagnetic signal traversing a part of the transmitting conductive element substantially adjacent to the coupler, which causes a corresponding electromagnetic signal to be coupled to the receiving conductive element. Attributes of the received electromagnetic signal can be evaluated relative to the transmitted electromagnetic signal to determine a distance associated with the points of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventor: James Robert Champion
  • Publication number: 20040046571
    Abstract: The disclosed technology can be used in the development and operation of multistatic probes that can characterize substances and relationships between substances. A multistatic probe can include transmitting and receiving conductive elements that are electrically distinct and which are capable of conveying electromagnetic energy to/from a substance of interest. The transmitting and receiving conductive elements can be arranged to be in contact with at least one dielectric mismatch boundary between substances of interest, whereby an electromagnetic signal transmitted on the transmitting conductive element causes a corresponding electromagnetic signal to be coupled to the receiving conductive element in response to the transmitted signal being in proximity to the dielectric mismatch boundary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: James Robert Champion, William Peters Schenk, Kenneth Alan Cupples
  • Publication number: 20040046572
    Abstract: The disclosed technology pertains to multistatic probes that can determine a level of one or more substances. A multistatic probe can include transmitting and receiving conductive elements that are electrically distinct and which are capable of conveying electromagnetic energy in proximity to/from substances of interest. The conductive elements can be arranged to be adjacent to a coupler that is positioned at a dielectric mismatch boundary between substances of interest, whereby an electromagnetic signal transmitted on the transmitting conductive element causes a change in capacitance in the transmitting conductive element upon the electromagnetic signal traversing a part of the transmitting conductive element substantially adjacent to the coupler, which causes a corresponding electromagnetic signal to be coupled to the receiving conductive element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: James Robert Champion, William Peters Schenk, John O?apos;Brien Evans