Liquid handling system monitoring systems and methods

Abstract

A monitoring system for monitoring a liquid handling system may comprise at least one liquid level sensor and/or at least one gateway computer. The at least one liquid level sensor may be configured to monitor at least one liquid level of at least one liquid handling element. The at least one gateway computer may be in communication with the at least one liquid level sensor. The at least one gateway computer may be configured to receive sensor readings, report information describing the readings, identify at least one rule-triggering event, and perform an action in response to identifying the at least one rule-triggering event in accordance with at least one rule.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A liquid level sensor, configured to be disposed in a liquid, comprising:
 multiple capacitance sensors that provide a shifting rate of capacitance change as a liquid level of the liquid varies with respect to each capacitance sensor, wherein the shifting rate is the greatest at the center of each capacitance sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The liquid level sensor of  claim 1 , further comprising a processor configured to monitor the shifting rate of capacitance change and determine, from a capacitance measurement from at least one of the capacitance sensors, the liquid level. 
     
     
         3 . The liquid level sensor of  claim 2 , further comprising a temperature sensor in communication with the processor such that the processor is configured to cause the liquid level to be adjusted based on a temperature of the liquid measured by the temperature sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The liquid level sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the capacitance sensors are disposed at different heights within at least one liquid handling element. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid level sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the capacitance sensors are parallelogram shaped with an approximate angle of 45 degrees on the upper and lower edges of each capacitance sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The liquid level sensor of  claim 1 , further comprising a tube having at least one hole formed in a sidewall thereof, wherein the multiple capacitance sensors are disposed within the tube. 
     
     
         7 . A monitoring system for monitoring a liquid handling system, the monitoring system comprising:
 at least one sensor disposed in the liquid handling system;   at least one liquid handling element configured to control liquid level, liquid flow, or a combination thereof; and   a gateway computer in communication with the at least one sensor and the at least one liquid handling element, the gateway computer comprising a processor and being configured to:
 receive, at the processor, readings from the at least one sensor and data from the at least one liquid handling element; 
 report, by the processor, information describing the readings of the at least one sensor and the data from the at least one liquid handling element to at least one monitoring station through at least one network; 
 identify, by the processor, at least one rule-triggering event indicated by at least one of the readings of the at least one sensor and the data from the at least one liquid handling element; and 
 perform, by the processor, at least one action in response to identifying the at least one rule-triggering event, wherein performing the at least one action comprises directing the at least one liquid handling element by the processor to alter the liquid level, the liquid flow, or the combination thereof. 
   
     
     
         8 . The monitoring system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one liquid handling element comprises at least one pump controller sensor configured to monitor pump operation, and wherein the data from the at least one liquid handling element comprises at least one of measurements of pump current and input power of the controlled liquid pump. 
     
     
         9 . The monitoring system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one liquid handling element comprises at least one override controller configured to activate or deactivate at least one liquid pump in response to the data from the at least one liquid handling element or a command from the at least one gateway computer. 
     
     
         10 . The monitoring system of  claim 7 , further comprising the at least one monitoring station, wherein the at least one monitoring station comprises at least one computer configured to:
 display the information describing the readings;   define the at least one rule;   perform at least one action in response to identifying the at least one rule-triggering event in accordance with the at least one rule; or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         11 . The monitoring system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a liquid level sensor, configured to be disposed in a liquid, comprising:
 multiple capacitance sensors that provide a shifting rate of capacitance change as a liquid level of the liquid varies with respect to each capacitance sensor, wherein the shifting rate is the greatest at the center of each capacitance sensor.   
     
     
         12 . The monitoring system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one sensor further comprises a processor configured to monitor the shifting rate of capacitance change and determine, from a capacitance measurement from at least one of the capacitance sensors, the liquid level. 
     
     
         13 . The monitoring system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one sensor further comprises a temperature sensor in communication with the processor such that the processor is configured to cause the liquid level to be adjusted based on a temperature of the liquid measured by the temperature sensor. 
     
     
         14 . A monitoring method for monitoring a liquid handling system, the liquid handling system comprising at least one sensor disposed in the liquid handling system, at least one liquid handling element configured to control liquid level, liquid flow, or a combination thereof, and a gateway computer in communication with the at least one sensor and the at least one liquid handling element, the gateway computer comprising a processor, the monitoring method comprising:
 receiving, at the processor, readings from the at least one sensor and data from the at least one liquid handling element;   reporting, by the processor, information describing the readings of the at least one sensor and the data from the at least one liquid handling element to at least one monitoring station through at least one network;   identifying, by the processor, at least one rule-triggering event indicated by at least one of the readings of the at least one sensor and the data from the at least one liquid handling element; and   performing, by the processor, at least one action in response to identifying the at least one rule-triggering event, wherein performing the at least one action comprises directing the at least one liquid handling element by the processor to alter the liquid level, the liquid flow, or the combination thereof.   
     
     
         15 . The monitoring method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one liquid handling element comprises at least one pump controller sensor configured to monitor pump operation, and wherein the data from the at least one liquid handling element comprises at least one of measurements of pump current and input power of the controlled liquid pump. 
     
     
         16 . The monitoring method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one liquid handling element comprises at least one override controller, the method further comprising activating or deactivating, by the at least one override controller, at least one liquid pump in response to the data from the at least one liquid handling element or a command from the at least one gateway computer. 
     
     
         17 . The monitoring method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 displaying, by at least one computer of the at least one monitoring station, the information describing the readings;   defining, by the at least one computer, the at least one rule;   performing, by the at least one computer, at least one action in response to identifying the at least one rule-triggering event in accordance with the at least one rule; or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         18 . The monitoring method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a liquid level sensor, configured to be disposed in a liquid, comprising multiple capacitance sensors, the method further comprising providing, by the multiple capacitance sensors a shifting rate of capacitance change as a liquid level of the liquid varies with respect to each capacitance sensor, wherein the shifting rate is the greatest at the center of each capacitance sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The monitoring method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 monitoring, by a processor of the at least one sensor, the shifting rate of capacitance change; and   determining, by the processor of the at least one sensor, from a capacitance measurement from at least one of the capacitance sensors, the liquid level.   
     
     
         20 . The monitoring method of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one sensor further comprises a temperature sensor in communication with the processor, the method further comprising causing, by the processor, the liquid level to be adjusted based on a temperature of the liquid measured by the temperature sensor.