Systems and methods of detecting fluid release

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12546269-B2
Application number	US-202318345684-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2023
Priority date	Jun 30, 2023
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

Fluid release detection is provided. A vehicle can determine, via a first sensor, a flow rate of a first fluid, such as a headspace gas, between an environment and a reservoir of the vehicle. The vehicle can receive a fluid consumption rate for a second fluid, such as a hydrocarbon fuel associated with the reservoir. The vehicle can detect, based on the flow rate and the fluid consumption rate, a fluid release of the reservoir. The vehicle can execute an action responsive to the detection of the fluid release.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle, comprising:
one or more processors configured to: receive a first indication of an inner surface of a reservoir associated with a first time; determine, based on the indication of the inner surface, a first volume of a fluid of the reservoir; receive a second indication of the inner surface of the reservoir associated with a second time; determine, based on the second indication of the inner surface, a second volume of the fluid; determine a rate of change of the fluid based on a first difference between the first time and the second time, and a second difference between the first volume and the second volume; compare a fluid consumption rate to the rate of change; detect, based on the rate of change exceeding the fluid consumption rate, a fluid release; and execute an action responsive to the detection of the fluid release.

2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the fluid consumption rate is a predefined maximum fuel consumption of the vehicle.

3 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the fluid consumption rate is periodically received from a vehicle controller, responsive to vehicle operation.

4 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is configured to detect an indication of foreign objects or debris on a roadway, and determine the fluid release based on the indication.

5 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the action comprises a navigational action.

6 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir includes a vision sensor and a light source, along with reservoir markings configured to interface with the light source, and be received by the vision sensor, the vision sensor comprising an oleo-phobic layer intermediating the vision sensor from the fluid.

7 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a vision sensor and a light source is an infra-red spectrum emitter, and the reservoir markings have a reflectivity profile peaking in an infrared range.

8 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a vision sensor is configured to detect a fluid depth based on a scattering or attenuation of light emitted by a light source.

9 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a vision sensor is configured to determine the first volume or the second volume based on edge detection of a fluid line intermediating a headspace-reservoir junction from a fuel-reservoir junction.

10 . A method, comprising:
receiving, by one or more processors, a first indication of an inner surface of a reservoir associated with a first time; determining, by the one or more processors, based on the indication of the inner surface, a first volume of a fluid of the reservoir; receiving, by the one or more processors, a second indication of the inner surface of the reservoir associated with a second time; determining, by the one or more processors, based on the second indication of the inner surface, a second volume of the fluid; determining, by the one or more processors, a rate of change of the fluid based on a first difference between the first time and the second time, and a second difference between the first volume and the second volume; comparing, by the one or more processors, a fluid consumption rate to the rate of change; detecting, by the one or more processors, based on the rate of change exceeding the fluid consumption rate, a fluid release; and executing, by the one or more processors, an action responsive to the detection of the fluid release.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the fluid consumption rate is periodically received from a vehicle controller, responsive to vehicle operation.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the action comprises a navigational action for an autonomous vehicle.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the reservoir includes a vision sensor and a light source, along with reservoir markings configured to interface with the light source, and be received by the vision sensor, the vision sensor comprising an oleo-phobic layer intermediating the vision sensor from the fluid.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a vision sensor and a light source is an infra-red spectrum emitter, and the reservoir markings have a reflectivity profile peaking in an infrared range.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a vision sensor is configured to detect a fluid depth based on a scattering or attenuation of light emitted by a light source.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a vision sensor is configured to determine the first volume or the second volume based on edge detection of a fluid line intermediating a headspace-reservoir junction from a fuel-reservoir junction.

17 . A system, comprising one or more processors configured to:
receive a first indication of an inner surface of a reservoir associated with a first time; determine, based on the indication of the inner surface, a first volume of a fluid of the reservoir; receive a second indication of the inner surface of the reservoir associated with a second time; determine, based on the second indication of the inner surface, a second volume of the fluid; determine a rate of change of the fluid based on a first difference between the first time and the second time, and a second difference between the first volume and the second volume; compare a fluid consumption rate to the rate of change; detect, based on the rate of change exceeding the fluid consumption rate, a fluid release; and execute an action responsive to the detection of the fluid release.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the fluid consumption rate is periodically received from a vehicle controller, responsive to vehicle operation.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the reservoir includes a sensor comprising an oleo-phobic layer intermediating the sensor from the fluid.

20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein a vision sensor is configured to detect a fluid depth based on a scattering or attenuation of light emitted by a light source.

Assignees

• Torc Robotics Inc

Inventors

• Fox-Rabinovitz Joseph
• Grigg Walter

Classifications

• G01F23/2928

  using light reflected on the material surface · CPC title

• F02D2041/225

  Leakage detection · CPC title

• F02D2200/0625

  Fuel consumption, e.g. measured in fuel liters per 100 kms or miles per gallon · CPC title

• G01F1/34

  by measuring pressure or differential pressure · CPC title

• F02D41/22 Primary

  Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions {(in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809)} · CPC title