Patents by Inventor Tracy R. Stephens

Tracy R. Stephens 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: 4487065
    Abstract: A storage tank level monitoring apparatus and method for determining fluid levels in a storage tank. The apparatus of the present invention includes a magnet coated with rubber for holding a pivotally mounted housing to the interior of the storage tank and an ultrasonic transducer contained within the housing for generating acoustic pulses and for receiving reflections of the acoustic pulses for producing an analog signal proportional to the reflections, a string carrying a number of reference disks vertically oriented below the housing for producing a series of reflected acoustic signals from each reference disk, and a processor connected to the ultrasonic transducer for activating the transducer and for analyzing the reflected pulses for calibrating the apparatus for environmental changes in the atmosphere above the stored fluid and for determining the level of the stored fluid in the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1984
    Assignee: Cypher Systems
    Inventors: John A. Carlin, William G. Mesch, Randall D. Thompson, Steven A. Beard, Tracy R. Stephens