1. A method of monitoring a tanker truck with a monitoring system that includes a monitoring unit and a handheld data terminal, the monitoring unit of the type that includes a processing unit, a time module, and a memory, the method comprising:
monitoring the tanker truck with the monitoring unit to detect an occurrence of an event, the tanker truck having multiple compartments, each compartment being configured to retain a liquid fuel;
in response to detecting the event, time stamping the detected event and storing the detected and time stamped event in the memory of the monitoring unit;
retrieving the stored event from the memory of the monitoring unit with the handheld data terminal; and
displaying the retrieved event on a display on the handheld data terminal.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the event includes an event selected from the group consisting of an overfill of a fluid in a compartment of the tanker truck, a retention of the fluid in the compartment of the tanker truck, and combinations thereof
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the event includes an event selected from the group consisting of engagement of a brake of the fluid tanker truck, disengagement of the brake of the fluid tanker truck, engagement of a plurality of safety interlocks of the tanker truck, disengagement of the plurality of safety interlocks of the tanker truck, and combinations thereof
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event includes an event selected from the group consisting of opening an American Petroleum Institute (API) valve associated with a compartment of the tanker truck, closing the API valve associated with the compartment of the tanker truck, and combinations thereof.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the event includes an event selected from the group consisting of establishing a vapor connection with a compartment of the tanker truck, losing a vapor connection with the compartment of the tanker truck, and combinations thereof
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the event includes an event selected from the group consisting of establishing an electrical connection between the monitoring unit and a gantry controller, losing the electrical connection between the monitoring unit and the gantry controller, establishing a ground connection between the tanker truck and a ground, losing the ground connection between the tanker truck and the ground, and combinations thereof.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the event includes an event selected from the group consisting of powering off the monitoring unit, powering on the monitoring unit, resetting the monitoring unit, connecting the monitoring unit to the handheld data terminal, communicating between the monitoring unit and the handheld data terminal, programming the monitoring unit with the handheld data terminal, and combinations thereof.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit includes an external communications port, wherein the handheld data terminal includes a monitoring unit communications port and a memory, and wherein retrieving the stored event data from the monitoring unit with the handheld data terminal further comprises:
connecting the monitoring unit communications port to the external communications port; and
retrieving the stored event from the memory of the monitoring unit to the memory of the handheld data terminal
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the handheld data terminal includes a user interface, the method further comprising:
receiving data from the user interface; and
uploading that data to the monitoring unit.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit includes a wireless communications interface, wherein the handheld data terminal includes a wireless communications interface and a memory, and wherein retrieving the stored event data from the monitoring unit with the handheld data terminal further comprises:
wirelessly transferring the stored event from the memory of the monitoring unit to the memory of the handheld data terminal.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the handheld data terminal includes a user interface, the method further comprising:
receiving data from the user interface; and
uploading that data to the monitoring unit.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit includes a global positioning system receiver, the method further comprising:
tracking the location of the tanker truck.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein tracking the location of the tanker truck further comprises:
periodically determining the location of the tanker truck and storing the determined location.
14. The method of claim 12, the method further comprising:
in response to detecting the event, determining the location of the tanker truck and storing the determined location in the memory of the monitoring unit.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the monitoring system further includes a computer, the method further comprising:
communicating the stored location and the stored event to the computer across a wireless data network.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein retrieving the stored event further comprises:
retrieving the stored location from the monitoring unit with the handheld data terminal.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein the tanker truck includes a plurality of compartments, each compartment configured to retain a fluid, and wherein the event is associated with a first compartment from among the plurality of compartments, the method further comprising:
in response to detecting the event, prohibiting the loading of a first fluid in the first compartment and prohibiting the loading of the first fluid in a second compartment from among the plurality of compartments.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein the tanker truck includes a plurality of compartments, each compartment configured to retain a fluid, and wherein the event is associated with a first compartment from among the plurality of compartments, the method further comprising:
in response to detecting the event, prohibiting the loading of a first fluid in the first compartment while permitting the loading of the first fluid in a second compartment from among the plurality of compartments.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein the tanker truck includes a plurality of compartments, each compartment configured to retain a fluid, and wherein the event is associated with a first compartment from among the plurality of compartments, the method further comprising:
in response to detecting the event, prohibiting the loading of a first fluid in the first compartment while permitting the loading of a second fluid in a second compartment from among the plurality of compartments.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein the tanker truck is configured with at least one compartment configured to retain a fluid, the method further comprising:
in response to the event, withholding a permissive signal that permits loading of the at least one compartment with the fluid.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the monitoring unit includes a timer button, and wherein the event is a retention of the fluid in the compartment of the tanker truck, the method further comprising:
in response to detecting a depression of the timer button, ignoring the event for a predetermined time and providing the permissive signal to permit loading of the at least one compartment with the fluid.
22. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring system further includes a computer, the method further comprising:
transmitting the stored event from the handheld data terminal to the computer; and
displaying the stored event on a display of the computer.
23. A monitoring system for a tanker truck, the tanker truck including at least one compartment to retain a liquid, each compartment including a cover, a vapor recovery fitting and a pipe in fluid communication with the compartment, the system comprising:
a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors configured to detect an event;
a monitoring unit in communication with the plurality of sensors to detect the event, the monitoring unit including a processing unit, a time module, and a memory, the monitoring unit configured to time stamp the sensed event with information from the time module and store the detected and time stamped event in the memory; and
a handheld data terminal in communication with the monitoring unit, wherein the handheld data terminal is configured to retrieve and display the stored event, and wherein the handheld data terminal includes a processing unit, a memory, a user interface, a time module, and a display.
24. The monitoring system of claim 23, further comprising:
a computer in communication with the handheld data terminal and configured to retrieve the stored event from the memory of the handheld data terminal, the computer further configured to display the stored event.
25. The monitoring system of claim 23, further comprising:
a global positioning system receiver in communication with the monitoring unit, the monitoring unit configured to interface with the GPS receiver to determine a location of the tanker truck and store the location of the tanker truck.
26. The monitoring system of claim 25, further comprising:
a wireless network interface in communication with the monitoring unit, the monitoring unit configured to communicate the stored event and the stored location across a wireless data network.
27. The monitoring system of claim 23, further comprising:
a wireless network interface in communication with the monitoring unit, the monitoring unit configured to communicate the stored event across a wireless data network.
28. The monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of sensors includes at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of an overfill sensor configured to indicate whether the fluid in the at least one compartment is above a first predetermined level, a retain sensor configured to indicate whether the fluid in the at least one compartment is above a second predetermined level, a brake sensor configured to indicate whether at least one brake of the tanker truck is engaged, a valve sensor configured to indicate whether at least one American Petroleum Institute valve of the at least one compartment is open, a vapor connection sensor configured to indicate whether at least one vapor connection with the at least one compartment has been established, a ground sensor configured to indicate whether a ground connection between the tanker truck and an electrical ground is established, a socket sensor configured to indicate whether an electrical connection between a monitoring unit and a gantry controller is established, and combinations thereof.
29. The monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the monitoring unit further includes an external communications port, and wherein the handheld data terminal further includes a monitoring unit communications port configured to communicate with the external communications port of the monitoring unit to transfer the stored event from the monitoring unit memory to the handheld data terminal memory.
30. The monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the monitoring unit and handheld data terminal each further include a wireless interface to wirelessly communicate the stored event from the monitoring unit memory to the handheld data terminal memory.
31. The monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of sensors further comprises at least one retain sensor configured to indicate whether the fluid in the at least one compartment is above a predetermined level, wherein the event is indicated by the at least one retain sensor, wherein the monitoring unit includes a timer reset module, and wherein notification of the event is temporarily silenced in response to an activation of the timer reset module.
32. The monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the display is a liquid crystal display.
33. The monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the display is a touch-screen display.
34. The monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the monitoring unit further includes a plurality of indication lights configured to indicate at least one condition of the at least one compartment, wherein the condition includes conditions selected from the group consisting of an overfill condition, a retain condition, and combinations thereof.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A bimorph piezoelectric device comprising:
a piezoelectric member having a first end surface and a second end surface arranged on two ends in the longitudinal direction thereof, an upper surface and a lower surface each extending between the first end surface and the second end surface, and a first side surface and a second side surface; and
a plurality of first internal electrodes and a plurality of second internal electrodes being arranged substantially perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric member, being overlapped with each other via piezoelectric layers in the longitudinal direction, respectively, and being alternately arranged In the longitudinal direction; wherein
each of the first internal electrodes having a first divided internal electrode and a second divided internal electrode divided substantially perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric member;
each of the first internal electrodes has the same first shape and configuration and each of the second internal electrodes has the same second shape and configuration that is different from the first shape and configuration; and
the piezoelectric member hiving a first piezoelectric region located on one of the first side surface side and on the upper surface side and a second piezoelectric region located on one of the second side surface side and on the lower surface side with respect to the center of the width direction of the piezoelectric member, the first and second piezoelectric regions being configured so that expandingcontracting driving-forces are generated 180\xb0 out-of-phase with each other, utilizing a piezoelectric longitudinal effect, whereby the bending vibration in which the entire portion in the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric member is bent substantially perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric member.
2. A piezoelectric device according to claim 1, wherein adjacent piezoelectric layers in the longitudinal direction are polarized in the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric member and in different polarization directions, and the first piezoelectric region and the second piezoelectric region are polarized in the same polarization direction in each of the piezoelectric layers, such that electric fields can be applied to the first piezoelectric region and the second piezoelectric region in the different electric-field directions.
3. A piezoelectric device according to claim 2, wherein the device further comprises first and second external electrodes disposed on the outer surface of the piezoelectric member so as to be electrically connected to the first and second divided internal electrodes.
4. A piezoelectric device according to claim 3, wherein the first and second external electrodes are disposed on one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the piezoelectric member.
5. A piezoelectric device according to claim 4, wherein the device further comprises a groove located between the first and second external electrodes.
6. A piezoelectric device according to claim 1, wherein the first piezoelectric region and the second piezoelectric region are polarized in the opposite directions in the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric member, and the corresponding piezoelectric regions of piezoelectric layers which are adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction are polarized in the opposite polarization directions in the longitudinal direction, such that electric fields in the same direction are applied to the first piezoelectric region and the second piezoelectric region of each piezoelectric layer.
7. A piezoelectric device according to claim 6, wherein the device further comprises a first external electrode disposed on the outer surface of the piezoelectric member so as to be electrically connected to the first internal electrodes, and a second external electrode disposed on the outer surface of the piezoelectric member so as to be electrically connected to the second internal electrodes.
8. A piezoelectric device according to claim 6, wherein one of the first and second internal electrodes have a first divided internal electrode arranged in the first piezoelectric region and a second divided internal electrode arranged in the second piezoelectric region, respectively, the first and second divided electrodes being electrically connected to each other.
9. A unimorph piezoelectric device piezoelectric device comprising:
a piezoelectric member having a first end surface and a second end surface arranged on two ends in the longitudinal direction thereof, an upper surface and a lower surface each extending between the first end surface and the second end surface, and a first side surface and a second side surface;
a plurality of the first internal electrodes and a plurality of the second internal electrodes being arranged substantially perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal direction in the piezoelectric member, and being arranged so as to be overlapped with each other via piezoelectric layers in the longitudinal direction, respectively, each of the first internal electrodes having a first shape and configuration and each of the second internal electrodes having a second shape and configuration that is different from the first shape and configuration; and
pairs of the piezoelectric layers which are adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction being polarized in opposite directions, the first internal electrode and the second internal electrode being arranged so as to be unevenly distributed on one of the side surface side, the upper surface side, and the lower surface side, the piezoelectric region having the first and second internal electrodes disposed therein being configured so as to generate expandingcontracting-drive forces in the longitudinal direction utilizing a piezoelectric longitudinal effect, whereby the bending vibration in which an entire portion in the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric member is bent substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction thereof is excited.
10. A piezoelectric device according to claim 9, wherein an inactive layer to which no electric field is applied at driving is arranged in at least one end in the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric member.
11. A piezoelectric device according to claim 9, wherein the device further comprises a holding portion arranged in the vicinity of a node of the bending vibration of the piezoelectric member and fixed to the piezoelectric member.
12. A piezoelectric device according to claim 11, wherein the holding portion is arranged near the node in the direction passing through the node of the piezoelectric member and being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric member.
13. A ladder type filter comprising:
a substrate; and
a plurality of the piezoelectric devices according to claim 1 disposed on the substrate, the plurality of the piezoelectric devices being electrically connected so as to define a ladder type circuit configuration.
14. A ladder type filter comprising:
a substrate; and
a plurality of the piezoelectric devices according to claim 9 disposed on the substrate, the plurality of the piezoelectric devices being electrically connected so as to define a ladder type circuit configuration.