Self-calibrating base station for offset measurements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11022479-B2
Application number	US-202016892941-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2020
Priority date	Feb 6, 2018
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

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 base station including a base, the base station comprising:
a magnet arranged to secure the base to a surface;
a plurality of legs arranged to contact the surface, including a leg that is adjustable and arranged to adjust a space between the surface and a surface of the base;
a second magnet arranged to selectively apply a magnetic field to further secure the base to the surface; and
a magnet actuator arranged to operate the second magnet.

2. The base station of claim 1 , wherein the base is arranged to attach to a tank wall.

3. The base station of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of legs comprise three legs, including the leg that is adjustable.

4. The base station of claim 1 , further comprising a handle.

5. The base station of claim 1 , further comprising a leg adjuster arranged to operate the leg that is adjustable and adjust the space between the surface and the surface of the base.

6. The base station of claim 1 , wherein the second magnet comprises an electromagnet.

7. The base station of claim 1 , wherein the magnet actuator comprises a handle.

8. The base station of claim 1 , further comprising a platform attached to the base, wherein the platform is arranged to be substantially perpendicular to the base.

9. The base station of claim 8 , further comprising a base level sensor, wherein the base level sensor is arranged to attach to the platform.

10. The base station of claim 8 , further comprising a beam support arranged to attach to the platform and a beam source.

11. A method of aligning a base station with respect to a surface, where the base station comprises a base level sensor and a base having a first magnet, a second magnet, and a plurality of legs, the method comprising:
positioning the base at a location on the surface;
contacting the surface with the first magnet and the plurality of legs;
checking the base level sensor and adjusting one of the plurality of legs until the base is properly aligned with a gravity vector; and
activating the second magnet to secure the base to the surface and prevent the base from moving in at least one plane with respect to the surface.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the base station includes a platform attached to the base, a beam level sensor and a beam source, the method further comprising:
checking the beam level sensor; and
adjusting the beam source based on a position indicated by the beam level sensor.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the platform includes the base level sensor and a beam leveling base, the method further comprising:
checking the base level sensor; and
moving and aligning the beam leveling base based on a position indicated by the base level sensor.

14. A base station including a base and a platform arranged to attach to the base, where the platform includes a beam source that emits a beam, the base station comprising:
a magnet arranged to selectively apply a magnetic field to secure the base to a surface;
a plurality of legs arranged to contact the surface;
a magnet actuator arranged to operate the magnet to apply the magnetic field to the surface; and
a base station computer that includes a position sensor interface and a beam source driver,
wherein:
the position sensor interface is arranged to receive a sensor position signal from a position sensor,
the beam source driver is arranged to communicate with the beam source, and
the beam source is arranged to adjust the beam dependent on the sensor position signal from the position sensor.

15. The base station of claim 14 , wherein the beam source is arranged to adjust at least one of a beam angle, a beam fan, a beam intensity, and a beam ON/OFF condition of the beam.

16. The base station of claim 14 , the base station computer comprising:
a leg actuator driver arranged to adjust at least one of the plurality of legs to adjust a space between the surface and a surface of the base,
wherein the leg actuator driver is arranged to adjust the at least one of the plurality of legs until the base is aligned with a gravity vector.

17. The base station of claim 14 , further comprising:
a beam leveling base attached to the platform and the beam source,
wherein the base station computer comprises:
a platform sensor interface arranged to receive a position signal from a base level sensor; and
a leveling base driver arranged to communicate with the beam leveling base to move and align the beam source based on the position signal from the base level sensor.

18. The base station of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of legs comprise three legs, including at least one leg that is adjustable.

19. The base station of claim 14 , wherein the magnet comprises an electromagnet.

20. The base station of claim 14 , wherein the platform is arranged to be substantially perpendicular to the base.

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

• G01B11/24

  for measuring contours or curvatures · CPC title

• G01B5/0021 Primary

  for measuring the volumetric dimension of an object · 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

• G01F25/0084 Primary

  for measuring volume · CPC title