Self-calibrating base station for offset measurements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10697820-B2
Application number	US-201815969235-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2018
Priority date	Feb 6, 2018
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

A self-calibrating system, apparatus, and method for accurately measuring a volumetric capacity of a tank. The system, apparatus and method comprise: a mechanism that adjusts a level of a platform; a light-emitting device with beam-like optics (laser, diode, etc.) mounted to the platform; mechanism for adjusting alignment of the light-emitting device with respect to the platform; a mechanism for rotating the platform by variable angles, including by 180-degrees; one or more level sensors (such as, for example, spirit levels, tilt sensors, or other devices) that provide feedback on the alignment of the platform normal to the gravity vector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A self-calibrating system that aligns a reference beam with a position sensor, the system comprising:
a base arranged to attach to a surface;
a platform arranged to attach to the base and to rotate with respect to the base;
a beam source located on the platform and arranged to generate and emit the reference beam;
a base level sensor located on the platform and arranged to detect a position of the platform with respect to a gravity vector; and
a beam level sensor located on the platform and arranged to indicate alignment of the beam source,
wherein at least one of a beam angle, a beam fan, a beam intensity, and a beam ON/OFF condition of the reference beam is adjustable.

2. The self-calibrating system of claim 1 , wherein the base level sensor comprises a three-dimensional sensor.

3. The self-calibrating system of claim 1 , the system further comprising a beam support base arranged to fixedly hold the beam source and the beam level sensor.

4. The self-calibrating system of claim 1 , wherein the base is arranged to attach to a tank wall.

5. The self-calibrating system of claim 4 , the system further comprising a leg that adjusts to vary a space between a first surface of the base and a surface of the tank wall.

6. The self-calibrating system of claim 1 , the system further comprising a beam support base that is arranged to hold the beam source.

7. The self-calibrating system of claim 6 , wherein the base is arranged to attach to a tank wall and wherein the platform is arranged to be substantially perpendicular to the base.

8. The self-calibrating system of claim 1 , the system further comprising a magnet that is arranged to attach to a tank wall or a robot to hold the base in place with respect to the tank wall.

9. The self-calibrating system of claim 8 , the system further comprising another magnet that is arranged to selectively turn ON/OFF to secure the base to the tank wall or the robot and prevent movement of the base in at least one plane with respect to the tank wall or the robot.

10. The self-calibrating system of claim 9 , wherein said another magnet comprises an electromagnet or a switchable magnet.

11. The self-calibrating system of claim 1 , the system further comprising a beam leveling base that is arranged to adjust the reference beam.

12. The self-calibrating system of claim 11 , the system further comprising a beam support base arranged to fixedly hold the beam source and to be mechanically or electrically coupled to the beam leveling base, wherein the beam leveling base is arranged to adjust a position of the beam support base.

13. The self-calibrating system of claim 11 , wherein the beam leveling base adjusts the reference beam in at least two planes of a real-world coordinate system.

14. The self-calibrating system of claim 11 , wherein the base is arranged to attach to a tank wall or a robot, wherein the beam leveling base is arranged to adjust rotationally about an axis that is perpendicular to a surface of the base.

15. The self-calibrating system of claim 11 , wherein the platform has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the beam leveling base is arranged to adjust rotationally about said longitudinal axis.

16. The self-calibrating system of claim 15 , wherein the beam leveling base is arranged to rotate 0-degree to 180-degree about said longitudinal axis.

17. A method of aligning a base station in a calibration system, where the base station includes a base, a base level sensor, a beam level sensor, a beam leveling base and a platform, wherein the beam level sensor is arranged on the beam leveling base, the method comprising
positioning the base at a desired position on or proximate to a tank wall of a tank to be measured;
checking the base level sensor and adjusting the base until the base is properly aligned with at least one of a position sensor location and a gravity vector;
engaging a magnet to secure the base to the tank wall and prevent the base from moving in at least one plane with respect to the tank wall;
checking the beam level sensor and adjusting the beam leveling base until the beam level sensor indicates proper alignment of the beam leveling base with respect to the gravity vector; and
recording a beam level indication, wherein the platform is arranged to attach to the base and to rotate with respect to the base.

18. The method of claim 17 , the method further comprising:
rotating the beam leveling base 180° from a first position.

19. The method of claim 18 , the method further comprising:
checking the beam level sensor and adjusting the beam level base until the beam leveling base is aligned parallel to the gravity vector.

20. A method of aligning a base station in a calibration system, where the base station includes a base and at least one of a base level sensor and a beam level sensor, the method comprising:
positioning the base at a desired position on or proximate to a tank wall of a tank to be measured;
checking the base level sensor and adjusting the base until the base is properly aligned with at least one of a position sensor location and a gravity vector;
engaging a magnet to secure the base to the tank wall and prevent the base from moving in at least one plane with respect to the tank wall;
checking the beam level sensor and adjusting a beam leveling base until the beam level sensor indicates proper alignment of the beam leveling base with respect to the gravity vector;
recording a beam level sensor indication;
receiving a sensor signal from a position sensor; and
adjusting at least one of the base and the beam leveling base based on the received sensor signal,
wherein the sensor signal comprises a position signal indicating a location point where a reference beam impinged on the position sensor.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Patel Sahejad
• Parrott Brian
• Arab Abdullah
• Abdellatif Fadl
• Carrasco Zanini Pablo

Classifications

• G01F25/20 Primary

  of apparatus for measuring liquid level · CPC title

• G01F25/0084 Primary

  for measuring volume · CPC title

• G01F17/00

  Methods or apparatus for determining the capacity of containers or cavities, or the volume of solid bodies (measuring linear dimensions to determine volume G01B) · CPC title

• G01C15/006

  Detectors therefor · CPC title

• G01B11/24

  for measuring contours or curvatures · CPC title