US 11,788,446 B1
Vehicle liquid monitoring system and method
Zachery C. Lake, The Colony, TX (US); Kade L. Scott, Scottsdale, AZ (US); Benjamin D. Ethington, Savannah, TX (US); Matthew T. Flachsbart, Grapevine, TX (US); and Cory A. Matheson, Celina, TX (US)
Assigned to United Services Automobile Association (USAA), San Antonio, TX (US)
Filed by United Services Automobile Association (USAA), San Antonio, TX (US)
Filed on Jul. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/390,144.
Application 17/390,144 is a continuation of application No. 16/204,426, filed on Nov. 29, 2018, granted, now 11,105,231.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/593,201, filed on Nov. 30, 2017.
Int. Cl. F01M 11/12 (2006.01); G01N 33/28 (2006.01); G01F 23/04 (2006.01); F01M 11/10 (2006.01)
CPC F01M 11/12 (2013.01) [G01F 23/04 (2013.01); G01N 33/2888 (2013.01); F01M 2011/1406 (2013.01); F01M 2011/148 (2013.01); F01M 2011/1453 (2013.01); F01M 2011/1466 (2013.01); F01M 2011/1473 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle liquid testing system, comprising:
a liquid testing apparatus comprising a body that houses a sensor, a controller, a transmitter, and a power generator, wherein at least a flexible portion of the body is configured to flex and be inserted into a conduit of a vehicle, and wherein:
the sensor is configured to generate data indicative of a condition of a fluid in the conduit of the vehicle;
the controller is configured to receive the data from the sensor and to analyze the data from the sensor to determine the condition of the fluid;
the transmitter is communicatively coupled to the controller and is configured to transmit an alert to an external device in response to the condition of the fluid meeting a criteria, wherein the external device is separate from the liquid testing apparatus; and
the power generator comprises a piezoelectric material configured to generate power due to deformation of the flexible portion of the body caused by the fluid moving past the flexible portion of the body in the conduit of the vehicle while the vehicle is in operation, and to provide the power to the sensor, the controller, the transmitter, or a combination thereof.