Ultrasound level detector

Abstract

An ultrasound liquid level detector system for automatically controlling the dispensing of a post-mix beverage, including microprocessor-controlled circuitry for monitoring and implementing the automatic dispensing process. The microprocessor is interfaced with an ultrasonic transducer which transmits ultrasonic wave energy towards the container to be filled and receives reflected ultrasonic wave energy, the characteristics of which are analyzed within the microprocessor to implement control functions of the automatic dispensing process. Dispensing is initially stopped before the liquid level reaches the top of the container to allow for dissipation of foam on the top of a carbonated beverage and dispensing is reinitiated to top off the level of beverage adjacent the top of the container. The disclosed system also utilizes the ultrasonic transducer to measure the level of ice within the container prior to dispensing and precludes dispensing of the beverage if the level of ice exceeds a predetermined limit. The system also has additional safeguards programmed into the microprocessor to preclude operator errors such as triggering of the dispenser system by devices other than the comtainer to be filled.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for automatically filling a container with a carbonated beverage which tends to form a head of foam during said filling, comprising: a dispenser outlet for detecting the flow of carbonated beverage into an opening in the top of the container, said opening being defined by a surrounding container lip;   valve means for initiating the flow of said carbonated beverage to said dispenser outlet when open and stopping the flow thereto when closed;   detector means for measuring the level of carbonated beverage in said container;   first control means responsive to said detector means for closing said valve means to stop the flow of carbonated beverage to said dispenser outlet when said carbonated beverage reaches a predetermined level in said container;   means for opening said valve means to reinitiate the flow of said carbonated beverage if said level of beverage subsides following the closing of said valve means by said first control means by more than a predetermined distance, caused by dissipation of said head of foam; and   second control means for closing said valve means when said level reaches a predetermined distance from said container lip.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said detector means comprises: ultrasonic means for transmitting ultrasonic wave energy toward said container lip and the interior of said container; and   ultrasonic detector means for receiving ultrasonic wave energy reflected from said container lip and said liquid therein and generating a container lip signal and a liquid level signal, each having a leading and trailing edge with respect to time.   
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: third control means responsive to the trailing edge of said lip signal and the trailing edge of said liquid level signal for generating a stop signal to close said valve means when the trailing edge of said lip signal is absent and the trailing edge of said liquid level signal is present.   
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detector means includes ultrasonic means for transmitting ultrasonic wave energy toward said container lip and the container bottom, ultrasonic detector means for receiving ultrasonic wave energy reflected from said container lip for generating a series of lip signals and further comprising: logic circuit means for generating a signal indicative of the presence of a container only when a predetermined number of said lip signals in said series are at substantially the same level; and   third control means responsive to said signal generated by said logic circuit means for opening said valve means to initiate said flow of liquid.   
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 2, further including a given level of ice in said container and wherein said ultrasonic detector means also receives ultrasonic energy reflected from said ice to generate an ice level signal; means for determining said given level of ice from said ice level signal; and   means for precluding the opening of said valve means to initiate said flow if said given ice level exceeds a predetermined limit.   
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 4, further including a given level of ice in said container and wherein said ultrasonic detector means also receives ultrasonic energy reflected from said ice to generate an ice level signal; means for determining said given level of ice from said ice level signal; and   means for precluding the opening of said valve means to initiate said flow if said given ice level exceeds a predetermined limit.   
     
     
       7. An apparatus for automatically filling a container with a liquid comprising: a dispenser outlet for directing the flow of said liquid into an opening at the top of the container, said opening being defined by a surrounding container lip;   valve means for initiating the flow of said liquid to said dispenser outlet when open and stopping the flow thereto when closed;   ultrasonic means for transmitting ultrasonic wave energy toward said container lip and the interior of said container;   ultrasonic detector means for receiving ultrasonic wave energy reflected from said container lip and said liquid therein and generating a container lip signal and a liquid level signal, each having a leading and trailing edge with respect to time; and   control means responsive to the trailing edge of said lip signal and the trailing edge of said liquid level signal for generating a stop signal to close said valve means when the trailing edge of said lip signal is absent and the trailing edge of said liquid level signal is present,   whereby the absence of the trailing edge of said lip signal and the presence of the trailing edge of said liquid level signal indicate that said container is full of liquid.   
     
     
       8. An apparatus for automatically filling a container with a liquid, comprising: a dispenser outlet for directing the flow of liquid into an opening at the top of the container, said opening being defined by a surrounding container lip;   ultrasonic means for transmitting ultrasonic wave energy toward said container lip and the container bottom;   ultrasonic detector means for receiving ultrasonic wave energy reflected from said container lip for generating a series of lip signals;   circuit means for generating a signal indicative of the presence of a container only when a predetermined number of lip signals in said series are at substantially the same level;   valve means for initiating the flow of said liquid to said dispenser outlet when open and stopping the flow therein when closed; and   control means responsive to said signal generated by said circuit means for opening said valve means to initiate said flow to liquid.   whereby spurious, non-repetitive signals cannot be interpreted as a lip signal and the presence of a container.   
     
     
       9. An apparatus for automatically filling a container with a beverage, said container having ice therein, comprising: a dispenser outlet for directing the flow of beverage into an opening in the top of the container, said opening being defined by a surrounding container lip;   valve means for initiating the flow of said beverage to said dispenser outlet when open and stopping the flow thereto when closed;   ultrasonic means for transmitting ultrasonic energy through said opening toward the ice therein;   detector means for measuring ultrasonic energy reflected from said ice and determining said given level thereof; and   control means for precluding the opening of said valve means to initiate said flow if said given ice level exceeds a predetermined limit.   
     
     
       10. An apparatus for automatically filling a container having a given level of ice therein with a beverage comprising: a dispenser outlet for directing the flow of liquid into an opening at the top of the container, said opening being defined by a surrounding container lip;   ultrasonic means for transmitting ultrasonic wave energy toward said container lip and the container bottom;   ultrasonic detector means for receiving ultrasonic wave energy reflected from said container lip and said ice therein for generating a series of lip signals and an ice level signal;   logic circuit means for generating a signal indicative of the presence of a container only when a predetermined number of lip signals in said series are at substantially the same level;   valve means for initiating the flow of said liquid to said dispenser outlet when open and stopping the flow thereon when closed; and   control means responsive to said signal generated by said logic circuit means and said ice level signal for opening said valve means to initiate said flow of liquid when said given ice level is below a predetermined limit.   
     
     
       11. An apparatus for automatically filling a container having a given level of ice therein with a carbonated beverage which tends to form a head of foam during said filling, comprising: a dispenser outlet for directing the flow of liquid into an opening at the top of the container, said opening being defined by a surrounding container lip;   ultrasonic means for transmitting ultrasonic wave energy toward said container lip and the container bottom;   ultrasonic detector means for receiving ultrasonic wave energy reflected from said container lip, said ice therein and said carbonated beverage for generating a series of lip signals, an ice level signal and liquid level signal, respectively;   logic circuit means for generating a signal indicative of the presence of a container only when a predetermined number of lip signals in said series are at substantially the same level;   valve means for initiating the flow of said liquid to said dispenser outlet when open and stopping the flow thereto when closed;   first control means responsive to said signal generated by said logic circuit means and said ice level signal for opening said valve means to initiate said flow of liquid when said given ice level is below a predetermined limit;   second control means responsive to said liquid level signal for closing said valve means to stop the flow of carbonated beverage to said dispenser outlet when said carbonated beverage reaches a predetermined level in said container;   means for opening said valve means to reinitiate the flow of said carbonated beverage if said level of carbonated beverage subsides following the closing of said valve means by said control means by more than a predetermined distance, caused by dissipation of said head of foam; and   third control means for closing said valve means when said liquid level reaches a predetermined distance from said container lip.   
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each lip signal and liquid level signal having a leading and trailing edge with respect to time and said apparatus further comprises: fourth control means responsive to the trailing edge of said lip signal and the trailing edge of said liquid level signal for generating a stop signal to close said valve means when the trailing edge of said lip signal is absent and the trailing edge of said liquid level signal is present.   
     
     
       13. A method for automatically filling a container with a carbonated beverage which tends to form a head of foam during said filling, comprising the steps of: initiating the flow of said carbonated beverage into an opening in the top of the container, said opening being defined by a surrounding container lip;   measuring the level of carbonated beverage flowing into said container;   stopping the flow of carbonated beverage into said container when said carbonated beverage reaches a predetermined level therein;   reinitiating the flow of said carbonated beverage at a selected time following the stopping of said flow to permit said head of foam to dissipate; and   restopping the flow of carbonated beverage when the level therein reaches a predetermined distance from said container lip.   
     
     
       14. A method for automatically filling a container having a given level of ice therein with a carbonated beverage which tends to form a head of foam during said filing, comprising the steps of: transmitting ultrasonic wave energy toward the top of the container and through an opening therein toward the container bottom;   measuring ultrasonic wave energy reflected from said container top, said ice therein and said carbonated beverage for generating container lip signals, an ice level signal and a liquid level signal, respectively;   initiating the flow of said carbonated beverage into said container only in the presence of a lip signal, and an ice signal indicative of a level of ice below a predetermined limit;   stopping the flow of carbonated beverage to said container when the carbonated beverage in said container reaches a predetermined level therein;   reinitiating the flow of said carbonated beverage at a selected time following the stopping of said flow to permit said head of foam to dissipate; and   restopping the flow when said liquid level reaches a predetermined distance from the top of said container. .Iadd.   
     
     
       15.  A dispenser system comprising: ultrasonic sound wave transducer means for emitting ultrasonic sound waves and for receiving ultrasonic sound waves reflected from a receptacle to be filled, said transducer means including a transducer and means for providing a periodic burst of ultrasonic signal to said transducer;   a fill level detector responsive to said reflected ultrasonic sound waves, for determining the fill level of the receptacle, said fill level detector including a fill detector circuit and a fill counter enabled to count a time interval coincident with said burst of ultrasonic signal and disabled by said fill detector circuit upon detection of the filled level;   a rim detector responsive to said reflected ultrasonic sound waves, for detecting the location of the rim of the receptacle;   a flow valve for filling the receptacle;   a receptacle detector, responsive to said rim detector, for opening said flow valve when a receptacle is present; and   a level comparator, responsive to said rim detector and said fill level detector, for comparing the fill level with the rim location for closing said flow valve when the receptacle is filled to within a predetermined distance of the rim location. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       16.  A dispenser system comprising: ultrasonic sound wave transducer means for emitting ultrasonic sound waves and for receiving ultrasonic sound waves reflected from a receptacle to be filled, said transducer means including a transducer and means for providing a periodic burst of ultrasonic signal to said transducer;   a fill level detector responsive to said reflected ultrasonic sound waves, for determining the fill level of the receptacle;   a rim detector responsive to said reflected ultrasonic sound waves, for detecting the location of the rim of the receptacle, said rim detector including a rim detector circuit and a rim counter enabled to count a time interval coincident with said burst of ultrasonic signal and disabled by said rim detector circuit upon detection of the rim;   a flow valve for filling the receptacle;   a receptacle detector, responsive to said rim detector, for opening said flow valve when a receptacle is present; and   a level comparator, responsive to said rim detector and said fill level detector, for comparing the fill level with the rim location for closing said flow valve when the receptacle is filled to within a predetermined distance of the rim location. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. A dispenser system comprising:   ultrasonic sound wave transducer means for emitting ultrasonic sound waves and for receiving ultrasonic sound waves reflected from a receptacle to be filled, said transducer means including a transducer and means for providing a periodic burst of ultrasonic signal to said transducer;   a fill level detector responsive to said reflected ultrasonic sound waves, for determining the fill level of the receptacle;   a rim detector responsive to said reflected ultrasonic sound waves, for detecting the location of the rim of the receptacle, said rim detector including a rim detector circuit and a rim counter enabled to count a time interval coincident with said burst of ultrasonic signal and disabled by said rim detector circuit upon detection of the rim;   a flow valve for filling the receptacle;   a receptacle detector, responsive to said rim detector, for opening said flow valve when a receptacle is present, said receptacle detector including means for counting the number of times within a present period a receptacle rim is detected; and   a level comparator, responsive to said rim detector and said fill level detector, for comparing the fill level with the rim location for closing said flow valve when the receptacle is filled to within a predetermined   
     
     
        distance of the rim location. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18.  A dispenser system comprising: ultrasonic sound wave transducer means for emitting ultrasonic sound waves and for receiving ultrasonic sound waves reflected from a receptacle to be filled, said transducer means including a transducer and means for providing a periodic burst of ultrasonic signal to said transducer;   fill level detector means responsive to said reflected ultrasonic sound waves, for determining the fill level of the receptacle, said fill level detector means including timer means enabled to time intervals beginning coincident with said burst of ultrasonic signal and ending when said fill level detector means detects the filled level;   rim detector means responsive to said reflected ultrasonic sound waves, for detecting the location of the rim of the receptable;   a flow valve for filling the receptacle;   receptacle detector means responsive to said rim detector means for opening said flow valve when a receptacle is present; and   level comparator means responsive to said rim detector means and said fill level detector, for comparing the fill level with the rim location for closing said flow valve when the receptacle is filled to within a predetermined distance of the rim location. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The level sensing system of claim 18 in which said level comparator means includes means for indicating when the interval timed in said fill level detector means is within a predetermined range. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. A dispenser system comprising:   ultrasonic sound wave transducer means for emitting ultrasonic sound waves and for receiving ultrasonic sound waves reflected from a receptacle to be filled, said transducer means including a transducer and means for providing a periodic burst of ultrasonic signal to said transducer;   fill level detector means responsive to said reflected ultrasonic sound waves, for determining the fill level of the receptacle;   rim detector means responsive to said reflected ultrasonic sound waves, for detecting the location of the rim of the receptable, said rim detector means including timer means enabled to time intervals beginning coincident with said burst of ultrasonic signal and ending when said rim detector means detects the rim location;   a flow valve for filling the receptacle;   receptacle detector means responsive to said rim detector means for opening said flow valve when a receptacle is present; and   level comparator means responsive to said rim detector means and said fill level detector, for comparing the fill level with the rim location for closing said flow valve when the receptacle is filled to within a   
     
     
        predetermined distance of the rim location. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21.  A dispenser system comprising: ultrasonic sound wave transducer means for emitting ultrasonic sound waves and for receiving ultrasonic sound waves reflected from a receptacle to be filled, said transducer means including a transducer and means for providing a periodic burst of ultrasonic signal to said transducer;   fill level detector means responsive to said reflected ultrasonic sound waves, for determining the fill level of the receptacle;   rim detector means responsive to said reflected ultrasonic sound waves, for detecting the location of the rim of the receptable, said rim detector means including timer means enabled to time intervals beginning coincident with said burst of ultrasonic signal and ending when said rim detector means detects the rim location;   a flow valve for filling the receptacle;   receptacle detector means responsive to said rim detector means for opening said flow valve when a receptacle is present, said receptacle detector means including means for counting the number of times within a preset period a receptacle rim is detected; and   level comparator means responsive to said rim detector means and said fill level detector means, for comparing the fill level with the rim location for closing said flow valve when the receptacle is filled to within a predetermined distance of the rim location. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. An apparatus for automatically filling a container with material comprising:   dispenser outlet means for directing the flow of said material into an opening at the top of the container, said opening being defined by a surrounding container lip;   valve means for initiating the flow of said material to said dispenser outlet means when open and stopping the flow of said material to said dispenser outlet means when closed;   means for transmitting wave energy toward said container lip and the interior of said container;   detector means for receiving wave energy reflected from said container lip and the material in said container and generating a container lip signal indicative of the location of the container lip, and material level signals indicative of the level of material within said container; and   control means for opening said valve means in response to generation by said detector means of a container lip signal and closing said valve means when said material level signals indicate that the level of material within said container is within a predetermined distance of the container   
     
     
        lip. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23.  The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said wave energy is ultrasonic wave energy. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. An method of automatically filling a container with material to a level within a predetermined distance of the top edge of the container comprising the steps of: initiating the flow of material into said container;   directing a burst of wave energy toward the top edge of the container from a location above the container;   measuring the time it takes for wave energy reflected from said top edge to return to said location;   directing a burst of wave energy toward the material as it is filled into said container from a position above said material;   measuring the time it takes for wave energy reflected from said material to return to said position; and   stopping the flow of said material into said container when the time it takes for wave energy to return to said location from the top edge of the container differs by a predetermined amount from the time it takes for wave energy reflected from said material level to return to said position.   
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.25.  The method of claim 24 wherein said wave energy is ultrasonic wave energy. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. An apparatus for filling a container with a material to within a predetermined distance of the top edge of the container comprising: means for reflecting wave energy from the top edge to determine the location of the top edge;   means for reflecting wave energy from the material within the container to determine the level of material in the container; and   means for comparing the wave energy reflected from said top edge of said container and the wave energy reflected from the material in said container to determine when the material level in the container reaches a   
     
     
        predetermined distance from said top edge. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27.  The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said wave energy is ultrasonic wave energy. .Iaddend. .Iadd.28. A method for filling a container of any selected size with a material to within a predetermined distance of the top edge of the container comprising the steps of: reflecting wave energy from the top edge to determine the location of the top edge;   reflecting wave energy from the material within the container to determine the level of material in the container; and   comparing the wave energy reflected from said top edge of said container and the wave energy reflected from the material in said container to determine when the material level in the container reaches a predetermined distance from said top edge. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. The method of claim 28 wherein said wave energy is ultrasonic wave energy. .Iaddend.