Patents by Inventor Ken Stauffer

Ken Stauffer 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: 9646330
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-readable medium for managing usage of storage tank consumables in a storage tank are provided. This is achieved by receiving and storing by a central server comprising a processor and a storage device, measurements of storage tank consumables from a remote system associated with a storage tank; periodically calculating by the processor usage-based data for generating invoices for storage tank consumables based on sensor measurements representative of an estimated usage of the storage tank consumables; receiving and storing by the central server a fill value representing an actual usage reported to the central server when the storage tank is filled; and reconciling the estimated usage with the actual usage by the processor by summing all estimated usages since a last fill of the storage tank, calculating a difference between the sum of the estimated usages and the fill value, and issuing a debit or credit based on the difference for reconciliation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Inventors: Loren Owens, Ken Stauffer
  • Publication number: 20140156478
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-readable medium for managing usage of storage tank consumables in a storage tank are provided. This is achieved by receiving and storing by a central server comprising a processor and a storage device, measurements of storage tank consumables from a remote system associated with a storage tank; periodically calculating by the processor usage-based data for generating invoices for storage tank consumables based on sensor measurements representative of an estimated usage of the storage tank consumables; receiving and storing by the central server a fill value representing an actual usage reported to the central server when the storage tank is filled; and reconciling the estimated usage with the actual usage by the processor by summing all estimated usages since a last fill of the storage tank, calculating a difference between the sum of the estimated usages and the fill value, and issuing a debit or credit based on the difference for reconciliation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: Loren Owens, Ken Stauffer