A method of determining a volume of a fluid in a reservoir arranged in a vehicle includes assessing, via a controller, whether a first sensor operatively connected to the reservoir and configured to detect a predetermined level of the fluid in the reservoir has been triggered. The method also includes detecting, via a second sensor, a vehicle operative state indicative of inclination of a free surface of the fluid in the reservoir. The method additionally includes communicating, via the second sensor, the detected vehicle operative state to the electronic controller and determining a degree of inclination of the free surface of the fluid in response to the detected vehicle operative state. Furthermore, the method includes determining, via the controller, the volume of the fluid in the reservoir when the first sensor has been triggered in response to the determined degree of inclination of the free surface of the fluid.

There is provided a surveying instrument including a monopod which is installed on a reference point, a surveying instrument main body which is provided at a known distance from a lower end of the monopod and a known angle with respect to an axis of the monopod, two auxiliary legs which extend downward from an middle portion of the monopod at a predetermined angle, wherein the surveying instrument main body comprises a distance measuring unit configured to measure a distance to an object to be measured, a measuring direction image pickup module configured to acquire an observation image including the object to be measured, an attitude detector configured to detect the tilts of the surveying instrument main body with respect to the horizontality, and an arithmetic control module, and wherein the surveying instrument main body is supported by three points by the monopod and the auxiliary legs.

There is provided a surveying instrument including a monopod which is installed on a reference point, a surveying instrument main body which is provided at a known distance from a lower end of the monopod and a known angle with respect to an axis of the monopod, two auxiliary legs which extend downward from an middle portion of the monopod at a predetermined angle, wherein the surveying instrument main body comprises a distance measuring unit configured to measure a distance to an object to be measured, a measuring direction image pickup module configured to acquire an observation image including the object to be measured, an attitude detector configured to detect the tilts of the surveying instrument main body with respect to the horizontality, and an arithmetic control module, and wherein the surveying instrument main body is supported by three points by the monopod and the auxiliary legs.

To eliminate influences of unnecessary reflected light other than a liquid surface in a liquid surface reflection type inclination sensor. In order to attain the object described above, an inclination sensor includes a liquid that forms a liquid surface, an illumination section, a barcode pattern to be illuminated by the illumination section, an optical system that projects the barcode pattern on the liquid surface, a light receiving element that detects the barcode pattern, a storage section that stores a detection image when the liquid surface is removed from an optical path of the optical system, and an arithmetic section that calculates an inclination angle by subtracting the detection image when the liquid surface is removed from a detection image when the liquid surface is present on the optical path of the optical system.

Disclosed are a motion-sensitive field effect transistor (MSFET), a motion detection system, and a method. The MSFET includes a gate structure with a reservoir containing conductive fluid and gate electrode(s). Given position(s) of the gate electrode(s) and a fill level of the fluid within the reservoir, contact between the gate electrode(s) and the fluid depends upon the orientation the MSFET channel region relative to the top surface of the conductive fluid and the orientation of the MSFET channel region relative to the top surface of the conductive fluid depends upon position in space and/or movement of the MSFET and, particularly, position in space and/or movement of the chip on which the MSFET is formed. An electrical property of the MSFET in response to specific bias conditions varies depending on whether or not or to what extent the gate electrode(s) contact the fluid and is, thus, measurable for sensing chip motion.

Disclosed are a motion-sensitive field effect transistor (MSFET), a motion detection system, and a method. The MSFET includes a gate structure with a reservoir containing conductive fluid and gate electrode(s). Given position(s) of the gate electrode(s) and a fill level of the fluid within the reservoir, contact between the gate electrode(s) and the fluid depends upon the orientation the MSFET channel region relative to the top surface of the conductive fluid and the orientation of the MSFET channel region relative to the top surface of the conductive fluid depends upon position in space and/or movement of the MSFET and, particularly, position in space and/or movement of the chip on which the MSFET is formed. An electrical property of the MSFET in response to specific bias conditions varies depending on whether or not or to what extent the gate electrode(s) contact the fluid and is, thus, measurable for sensing chip motion.

The invention provides a tilt angle measuring device, which comprises a discoid container for including a liquid forming a free liquid surface, a light emitting source for allowing a detection light to enter the free liquid surface, a photodetector for receiving the detection light reflected on the free liquid surface and a signal processing unit for detecting a tilt of the free liquid surface based on a detection signal from the photodetector, wherein the signal processing unit sets a detection light storage time of the photodetector so that an error incidence rate of the detection signal is a predetermined value.

The invention provides a tilt angle measuring device, which comprises a discoid container for including a liquid forming a free liquid surface, a light emitting source for allowing a detection light to enter the free liquid surface, a photodetector for receiving the detection light reflected on the free liquid surface and a signal processing unit for detecting a tilt of the free liquid surface based on a detection signal from the photodetector, wherein the signal processing unit sets a detection light storage time of the photodetector so that an error incidence rate of the detection signal is a predetermined value.

A method of designing a container of a liquid reflection inclination sensor includes a liquid surface calculating step (S1) that calculates a shape of a liquid surface of a liquid in a horizontal direction x and a vertical direction y by utilizing the Young-Laplace formula and the hydrostatic pressure formula, the liquid surface formed on a plate extending vertically and infinitely with respect to a horizontal part of the liquid surface, an optical simulation step (S2) that obtains a light receiving pattern by reflecting a dark field pattern (4) irradiated from an imaginary light source (2) on an imaginary mirror plane (9a) having the shape of the liquid surface, and a container adjusting step (S3-S4) that adjusts a shape of a cylindrical container (10) for enclosing the liquid by judging whether image accuracy of the light receiving pattern satisfies demanded sensor accuracy.

A method of designing a container of a liquid reflection inclination sensor includes a liquid surface calculating step (S1) that calculates a shape of a liquid surface of a liquid in a horizontal direction x and a vertical direction y by utilizing the Young-Laplace formula and the hydrostatic pressure formula, the liquid surface formed on a plate extending vertically and infinitely with respect to a horizontal part of the liquid surface, an optical simulation step (S2) that obtains a light receiving pattern by reflecting a dark field pattern (4) irradiated from an imaginary light source (2) on an imaginary mirror plane (9a) having the shape of the liquid surface, and a container adjusting step (S3-S4) that adjusts a shape of a cylindrical container (10) for enclosing the liquid by judging whether image accuracy of the light receiving pattern satisfies demanded sensor accuracy.