US 12,442,676 B2
Differentiating between fuel and water using capacitive measurement thereof
Andy Appeldorn, Kansas City, MO (US)
Assigned to Microchip Technology Incorporated, Chandler, AZ (US)
Filed by Microchip Technology Incorporated, Chandler, AZ (US)
Filed on Apr. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/712,398.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/171,058, filed on Apr. 5, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0316935 A1, Oct. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. G01F 23/263 (2022.01)
CPC G01F 23/265 (2013.01) [G01F 23/266 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising a measurement circuit to be coupled to a first sensor electrode of a first vertical position of a container, the container to include a first fluid and a second fluid, the measurement circuit to:
perform a capacitive measurement at the first sensor electrode to determine whether the first fluid or the second fluid is proximate to the first sensor electrode;
determine that the first fluid is proximate to the first sensor electrode based upon a determination that the capacitive measurement exceeds a capacitance threshold, the capacitance threshold of a known capacitance of a given fluid; and
determine that the second fluid is proximate to the first sensor electrode based upon a determination that the capacitive measurement is below the capacitance threshold, so as to make a determination of a height of the first fluid with respect to the second fluid based on a capacitive measurement of the first sensor electrode.