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).
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Patent number: 7908920Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 7, 2007Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Robertshaw Controls CompanyInventors: James Robert Champion, William P. Schenk, Jr.
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Patent number: 7634945Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 13, 2007Date of Patent: December 22, 2009Assignee: Robertshaw Controls CompanyInventor: James Robert Champion
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Publication number: 20090151446Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2007Publication date: June 18, 2009Applicant: Robertshaw Controls CompanyInventor: James Robert Champion
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Publication number: 20090145219Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2007Publication date: June 11, 2009Applicant: Robertshaw Controls CompanyInventors: James Robert Champion, William P. Schenk, JR.
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Patent number: 7483795Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 9, 2005Date of Patent: January 27, 2009Assignee: Robertshaw Controls CompanyInventors: Wojtek Miller, Kenneth Alan Cupples, James Robert Champion
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Patent number: 7262607Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 9, 2003Date of Patent: August 28, 2007Assignee: Robertshaw Controls CompanyInventors: James Robert Champion, William Peters Schenk, Jr., Kenneth Alan Cupples
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Patent number: 7191072Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 9, 2005Date of Patent: March 13, 2007Assignee: Robertshaw Controls CompanyInventors: James Robert Champion, Kenneth Alan Cupples, Wojtek Miller
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Publication number: 20040059508Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2003Publication date: March 25, 2004Inventor: James Robert Champion
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Publication number: 20040046571Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2003Publication date: March 11, 2004Inventors: James Robert Champion, William Peters Schenk, Kenneth Alan Cupples
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Publication number: 20040046572Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2003Publication date: March 11, 2004Inventors: James Robert Champion, William Peters Schenk, John O?apos;Brien Evans