Abstract: A system for measuring a fill level of a tank is provided. The system includes a sensor disposed in the tank and configured to generate echo data. The system further includes a computing device including a memory configured to store a plurality of historical echo lists and a processor coupled in communication with the sensor. The processor is configured to generate an echo curve based on echo data received from the sensor, generate an echo list by identifying, from the generated echo curve, a plurality of echoes, generate a plurality of echo tracks by comparing the generated echo list to the plurality of historical echo lists, identify a top level echo track from the plurality of echo tracks, the top level echo track having shifted by a threshold distance, and record a current fill level based on the identified top level echo track.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for interacting instrumentation with high and/or low energy systems are disclosed. In some illustrative embodiments, a sensor assembly for level measurement of high and/or low energy systems may comprise an instrumentation head to determine a level of media in a tank; a coupler including a body having a mounting end for connection to equipment of a high or low energy system and a receiving end for receiving connection of the instrumentation head, a coaxial hardline extending between the mounting and receiving ends and including a conduction tip arranged near the mounting end; and a sealing system including a first seal section disposed between the conduction tip and the receiving end of the body.

Abstract: In at least one illustrative embodiment, a guided wave radar (GWR) level transmitter may comprise a waveguide probe to be positioned in a tank containing media, a measurement circuit, and a compute device. The measurement circuit may transmit a series of pulses along the waveguide probe and measure a series of reflected waveforms, where each of the series of reflected waveforms resulting from transmission of one of the series of pulses along the waveguide probe. The compute device may implement an expert control system to determine a level of the media in the tank, where the expert control system comprises (i) a knowledge base incorporating prior knowledge and (ii) an inference engine to apply logical rules from the knowledge base to evaluate information contained in the series of reflected waveforms to determine the level of media in the tank.

Abstract: In at least one illustrative embodiment, a guided wave radar (GWR) level transmitter may comprise a timing circuit including a first oscillator circuit and a second oscillator circuit, a coincidence circuit configured to generate a coincidence signal indicative of phase shifts created by a difference between first and second frequencies of the first and second oscillator circuits, and a microcontroller configured to (i) determine a stretching factor based on the coincidence signal and at least one of the oscillator signals, (ii) calculate, when the stretching factor is within a first range, a distance to a media surface using the stretching factor, and (iii) adjust, when the stretching factor is outside of a second range, at least one of the first and second oscillator circuits to adjust the difference between the first and second frequencies.

Abstract: In at least one illustrative embodiment, a guided wave radar (GWR) level transmitter may comprise a waveguide probe to be positioned in a tank containing media, a measurement circuit, and a compute device. The measurement circuit may transmit a series of pulses along the waveguide probe and measure a series of reflected waveforms, where each of the series of reflected waveforms resulting from transmission of one of the series of pulses along the waveguide probe. The compute device may implement an expert control system to determine a level of the media in the tank, where the expert control system comprises (i) a knowledge base incorporating prior knowledge and (ii) an inference engine to apply logical rules from the knowledge base to evaluate information contained in the series of reflected waveforms to determine the level of media in the tank.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for interacting instrumentation with high and/or low energy systems are disclosed. In some illustrative embodiments, a sensor assembly for level measurement of high and/or low energy systems may comprise an instrumentation head to determine a level of media in a tank; a coupler including a body having a mounting end for connection to equipment of a high or low energy system and a receiving end for receiving connection of the instrumentation head, a coaxial hardline extending between the mounting and receiving ends and including a conduction tip arranged near the mounting end; and a sealing system including a first seal section disposed between the conduction tip and the receiving end of the body.

Abstract: In at least one illustrative embodiment, a guided wave radar (GWR) level transmitter may comprise a timing circuit including a first oscillator circuit and a second oscillator circuit, a coincidence circuit configured to generate a coincidence signal indicative of phase shifts created by a difference between first and second frequencies of the first and second oscillator circuits, and a microcontroller configured to (i) determine a stretching factor based on the coincidence signal and at least one of the oscillator signals, (ii) calculate, when the stretching factor is within a first range, a distance to a media surface using the stretching factor, and (iii) adjust, when the stretching factor is outside of a second range, at least one of the first and second oscillator circuits to adjust the difference between the first and second frequencies.

Abstract: A distance transmitter for industrial process control systems is provided. The distance transmitter has a laser emitter that outputs laser pulses that strike a target. The laser pulses are reflected back by the target and are received by a light detector. The distance of the target from the sensor is determined by the time it takes for the laser pulses to return to the light detector. The distance transmitter may be mounted to an industrial structure with a flange. The laser emitter and light detector may output and receive laser light through an opening in the flange.

Abstract: An entity detection method and system are provided for monitoring an area. The method comprises providing an illuminated band extending continuously along an extremity of the area; providing an optical detector having an image sensor adapted to capture an image, the illuminated band being viewable by the image sensor and being capturable in the image, a space between the band and the image sensor being part of the area; storing a detection threshold; analyzing the image to detect a discontinuity in the continuous illuminated band apparent on the image, comparing the detected discontinuity to the detection threshold; and indicating a status of the area to be one of a presence of an entity and an absence of the entity based on the comparing.

Abstract: A method for detecting a vehicle comprising: providing a multi-channel scannerless full-waveform lidar system operating in pulsed Time-Of-Flight operation oriented towards a surface of the roadway to cover the detection zone; providing at least one initialization parameter; emitting pulses at an emission frequency; receiving reflections of the pulses from the detection zone; and acquiring and digitalizing a series of individual complete traces at each channel of system; identifying at least one detection in at least one of the traces; obtaining a height and an intensity for the detection; determining a nature of the detection to be one of an environmental particle detection, a candidate object detection and a roadway surface detection; if the nature of the detection is the candidate object detection, detecting a presence of a vehicle in the detection zone.

Abstract: A method for tracking and characterizing a plurality of vehicles simultaneously in a traffic control environment, comprising: providing a 3D optical emitter; providing a 3D optical receiver with a wide and deep field of view; driving the 3D optical emitter into emitting short light pulses; receiving a reflection/backscatter of the emitted light, thereby acquiring an individual digital full-waveform LIDAR trace for each detection channel of the 3D optical receiver; using the individual digital full-waveform LIDAR trace and the emitted light waveform, detecting a presence of a plurality of vehicles, a position of at least part of each vehicle and a time at which the position is detected; assigning a unique identifier to each vehicle; repeating the steps of driving, receiving, acquiring and detecting, at a predetermined frequency; tracking and recording an updated position of each vehicle and an updated time at which the updated position is detected.

Abstract: A multiple-field-of-view scannerless optical rangefinder operating in pulsed Time-Of-Flight operation for use in high ambient background light is described.

Abstract: The traffic detection system includes an optical unit having an emitter module emitting pulses; a receiver module having a field of view including a plurality of adjacent detection channels receiving pulses reflected by an object and acquiring and converting the received pulses into a corresponding plurality of a digital signal waveforms; an image sensing module providing an image. The method comprises providing a status overlay image including the image and a visual indication on the image of an outline of the plurality of adjacent detection channels; positioning the field of view to cover the detection zone using the status overlay image; obtaining the plurality of digital signal waveforms; detecting a signal echo caused by an object in one of the digital signal waveforms at a position within the field of view; determining a location for the object using the position; storing the location for the object.

Abstract: A mobile storage having a mobile storage unit having a detection side; an opposing component having an aisle side facing the detection side; the mobile storage unit being movable between a closed position and an open position wherein an aisle is defined; at least one detection module having an optical pulse emitter and an optical detector both provided at an end, facing the aisle, the optical pulse emitter emitting a light pulse, the optical detector detecting a reflection of the light pulse. An object detection method for a mobile storage comprising comparing a temporal reflection signal to a background temporal reflection signal to detect the presence of an object; and indicating a status of the aisle to be presence of an object if the object is detected to be present.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for detecting a distance to an object. The method comprises providing a lighting system having at least one pulse width modulated visible-light source for illumination of a field of view; emitting an illumination signal for illuminating the field of view for a duration of time y using the visible-light source at a time t; integrating a reflection energy for a first time period from a time t?x to a time t+x; determining a first integration value for the first time period; integrating the reflection energy for a second time period from a time t+y?x to a time t+y+x; determining a second integration value for the second time period; calculating a difference value between the first integration value and the second integration value; determining a propagation delay value proportional to the difference value; determining the distance to the object from the propagation delay value.

Abstract: A multiple-field-of-view scannerless optical rangefinder operating in pulsed Time-Of-Flight operation for use in high ambient background light is described.

Abstract: A multiple-field-of-view scannerless optical rangefinder operating in pulsed Time-Of-Flight operation for use in high ambient background light is described.

Abstract: A method for tracking and characterizing a plurality of vehicles simultaneously in a traffic control environment, comprising: providing a 3D optical emitter; providing a 3D optical receiver with a wide and deep field of view; driving the 3D optical emitter into emitting short light pulses; receiving a reflection/backscatter of the emitted light, thereby acquiring an individual digital full-waveform LIDAR trace for each detection channel of the 3D optical receiver; using the individual digital full-waveform LIDAR trace and the emitted light waveform, detecting a presence of a plurality of vehicles, a position of at least part of each vehicle and a time at which the position is detected; assigning a unique identifier to each vehicle; repeating the steps of driving, receiving, acquiring and detecting, at a predetermined frequency; tracking and recording an updated position of each vehicle and an updated time at which the updated position is detected.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for detecting a distance to an object. The method comprises providing a lighting system having at least one pulse width modulated visible-light source for illumination of a field of view; emitting an illumination signal for illuminating the field of view for a duration of time y using the visible-light source at a time t; integrating a reflection energy for a first time period from a time t?x to a time t+x; determining a first integration value for the first time period; integrating the reflection energy for a second time period from a time t+y?x to a time t+y+x; determining a second integration value for the second time period; calculating a difference value between the first integration value and the second integration value; determining a propagation delay value proportional to the difference value; determining the distance to the object from the propagation delay value.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for detecting a distance to an object. The method comprises providing a lighting system having at least one pulse width modulated visible-light source for illumination of a field of view; emitting an illumination signal for illuminating the field of view for a duration of time y using the visible-light source at a time t; integrating a reflection energy for a first time period from a time t?x to a time t+x; determining a first integration value for the first time period; integrating the reflection energy for a second time period from a time t+y?x to a time t+y+x; determining a second integration value for the second time period; calculating a difference value between the first integration value and the second integration value; determining a propagation delay value proportional to the difference value; determining the distance to the object from the propagation delay value.