Liquid detection apparatus

Abstract

A liquid detection apparatus for monitoring liquid stored in a wine barrel may include an upper portion configured to be inserted into an opening of the wine barrel and a lower portion configured to extend into the liquid when the upper portion is seated in the opening. A sensing device may be located within the lower portion and at least partially surrounded by a protective layer. The sensing device may be configured to obtain sensed input for the liquid through the protective layer. An alert system may be at least partially located within the upper portion and configured to generate an alert in response to the sensed input obtained by the sensing device.

1 . A system for monitoring liquid stored in wine barrels, including:
 a liquid detection apparatus comprising:
 one or more sensors configured to obtain sensor data indicating one or more physical properties; 
 a processing device coupled with the one or more sensors and configured to determine a liquid level of the liquid in a wine barrel based on the sensor data; and 
 a communication device configured to transmit a data signal that indicates the liquid level of the liquid in the wine barrel as determined by the processing device; and 
   a remote monitoring device comprising:
 a processing unit; and 
 a memory storing non-transitory computer readable instructions configured to, when executed by the processing unit, cause the remote monitoring device to:
 receive the data signal from the communication device; and 
 store the liquid level of the liquid in the wine barrel as determined by the processing device in a database associated with the liquid detection apparatus. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of liquid detection apparatuses, wherein the liquid detection apparatus is one of the plurality of liquid detection apparatuses, wherein each liquid detection apparatus of the plurality of liquid detection apparatuses is coupled to a corresponding wine barrel of a plurality of wine barrels, wherein the wine barrel is one of the plurality of wine barrels, and wherein the remote monitoring device is further configured to:
 receive the data signal from each of the plurality of liquid detection apparatuses; and   store a corresponding liquid level for each of the wine barrels of the plurality of wine barrels as determined by a corresponding liquid detection apparatus.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the remote monitoring device is configured to:
 receive, from a user computing device, a request for a report of the corresponding liquid level for one or more wine barrels of the plurality of wine barrels, wherein the request includes authorization information;   generate, based on the database and further based on the authorization information corresponding to a user having access to the database associated with the liquid detection apparatus, the report of the corresponding liquid level for the one or more wine barrels of the plurality of wine barrels; and   transmit the report to the user computing device.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate computing device that is communicatively coupled to the liquid detection apparatus so as to receive the data signal from the liquid detection device in real time, and wherein the intermediate computing device is configured to transmit the liquid level of the liquid in the wine barrel to the remote monitoring device. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the intermediate computing device is configured to receive the data signal from the communication device over a first wireless transmission medium, and transmit the liquid level of the liquid in the wine barrel to the remote monitoring device over a second wireless transmission medium, wherein the second wireless transmission medium is different from the first wireless transmission medium. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of liquid detection apparatuses, and wherein the intermediate computing device is communicatively coupled to the plurality of liquid detection apparatuses so as to receive the data signal from each of the plurality of the liquid detection apparatuses in real time, and transmit a corresponding liquid level of the liquid in a corresponding plurality of wine barrels to the remote monitoring device. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the remote monitoring device is a server device, and wherein the database is stored in a cloud storage resource. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the remote monitoring device is configured to transmit a request to the liquid detection apparatus, and wherein the communication device transmits the data signal in response to the request. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing device is further configured to determine a temperature of the liquid in the wine barrel based on the sensor data; and the data signal further indicates the temperature of the liquid in the wine barrel. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the remote monitoring device is further configured to:
 determine, based on the temperature of the liquid in the wine barrel, that a corrective action is to be taken to adjust environmental conditions surrounding the wine barrel; and   transmit a signal to cause a building system to adjust the environmental conditions surrounding the wine barrel.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the remote monitoring device is further configured to:
 determine, based on the temperature of the liquid in the wine barrel, that a bacterial growth has occurred within the wine barrel; and   transmit a signal to cause a user device to display an alert that a corrective action needs to be taken in association with the wine barrel.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors of the liquid detection apparatus comprise:
 an upper pair of complementary capacitive sensors located adjacent to each other and configured to concurrently obtain a first set of capacitive measurements of the liquid level that intersects both of the adjacent sensors of the upper pair;   a lower pair of complementary capacitive sensors located adjacent to each other and configured to concurrently obtain a second set of capacitive measurements for determining a relative permittivity of the liquid in the wine barrel; and   one or more rectangular capacitive sensors located between the upper pair of complementary capacitive sensors and the lower pair of complementary capacitive sensors.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing device of the liquid detection apparatus is further configured to:
 generate an alert in response to the sensor data indicating the liquid level being at or below a desired level; and   cause the communication device of the liquid detection apparatus to transmit the alert together with a unique identifier to the remote monitoring device, wherein the unique identifier corresponds to a status of the liquid stored in the wine barrel.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a user device that comprises:
 an additional processing unit; and   an additional memory storing additional non-transitory computer readable instructions that, when executed by the additional processing unit, cause the user device to:
 receive an identifier associated with the liquid detection apparatus; 
 transmit, to the remote monitoring device, a request to access database information associated with the liquid detection apparatus; and 
 display, based on receiving the database information from the remote monitoring device, a determined liquid level of the liquid in the wine barrel determined by the processing device. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein one of the wine barrel and the liquid detection apparatus comprises an RFID, and the computer readable instructions, when executed by the additional processing unit, further cause the user device to detect the RFID. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed by the additional processing unit, further cause the user device to detect that the liquid detection apparatus is within a threshold proximity of the user device, and the request is transmitted automatically based on the liquid detection apparatus being within the threshold proximity of the user device. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein one of the wine barrel and the liquid detection apparatus comprises a barcode, and the computer readable instructions, when executed by the additional processing unit, further cause the user device to capture the barcode. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the request to access the database information further includes a request to access database information associated with one or more wine barrels of a plurality of wine barrels;   the remote monitoring device is further configured to:
 identify, based on the request, the one or more wine barrels of the plurality of wine barrels having similar characteristics to the wine barrel; and 
 transmit, to the user device, the database information associated with the one or more wine barrels of the plurality of wine barrels having similar characteristics to the wine barrel; and 
   the user device is further configured to, based on the user device receiving the database information associated with the one or more wine barrels of the plurality of wine barrels having similar characteristics to the wine barrel, display corresponding liquid levels of the one or more wine barrels of the plurality of wine barrels having similar characteristics to the wine barrel.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed by the additional processing unit, further cause the user device to display an average liquid level of the one or more wine barrels of the plurality of wine barrels having similar characteristics to the wine barrel. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the user device is further configured to:
 receive a user input associated with the wine barrel; and   transmit, based on the user input, a locator signal to the liquid detection apparatus, wherein the locator signal is configured to cause the liquid detection apparatus to enter a location identifying state in which the liquid detection apparatus generates one of a light and a noise alert.