Systems, methods, and apparatus for determining a volume of remaining liquid in a container are disclosed. A container profile can first be developed using image analysis to determine a maximum liquid level in the container. The profile can then be broken into divisions, each corresponding to an equal volume. When real-world measurements of a liquid level in a real-world container are made, these can be translated to one of the divisions, which can be summed with all underlying divisions to estimate a volume of remaining liquid in the real-world container.

A trap bowl is provided to accumulate liquid droplets from a filter, as a liquid content. The trap bowl includes a transparent vertical prism. The transparent vertical prism includes a face that forms a vertical transparent surface facing against a content of the section. The face can provide a first angle of total reflection when content of the section is a type of gas, and a second angle of total reflection when the content of the section is the liquid content. A light source may emit a light beam incident on the face at an angle of incidence. The angle of incidence results in reflection of the light beam, striking the light receiver, when the face has the first angle of total reflection, and results in refraction of the light beam, missing the light receiver, when the face has the second angle of total reflection.

The invention relates to a system (1, 100) for detecting a filling state of a vial (22, 220) of a diffuser (2, 200), the vial containing a product intended to be diffused, the system comprising an acquisition unit (3, 300) provided with an optical sensor (4, 400b) intended to be arranged opposite the vial in order to acquire at least one light beam that has passed through the vial, a processing unit (5, 450) designed to detect, from the light beam, whether a filling level (n) of the vial is lower than a predetermined threshold, and a communication unit (6, 460) designed to send a notification (N) regarding the filling level to a remote electronic device (8, 800) depending on said detection.

The invention provides an apparatus, system, and method for detecting a layer of contaminants, such as oil and/or hydrocarbons, on the surface of accumulated water within a confined area that is periodically evacuated by a pump. The detection of contaminant layers may be accomplished through the use of an optical detection system comprising a light source, and a conductive sensor comprising a horizontally-disposed plate and a stilling tube. Dissipation of turbulence and agitation of the accumulated water may be achieved by a stilling tube proximate one or more of the sensors disposed within the stilling tube. Additional sensors may detect high, intermediate, and low levels, and an integrated controller may determine the state of media within the confined area, the system being generally configured to keep the oil or other contaminant within the confined area while continuously and/or periodically pumping water away from the confined area.

An optoelectronic module for a light barrier for fill height monitoring of an ice collection container in a household ice maker includes a module housing, which bears a light passage surface located at the boundary between the optoelectronic module and the space outside the module for the passage of a beam of light of the light barrier. The module further has a printed circuit board accommodated in the module housing, an optoelectronic component mounted on the printed circuit board, serving as a light transmitter or receiver, with a main lobe axis, and a cylindrical light-guiding element for guidance of the light beam located in the beam path between the light passage surface and the optoelectronic component, and at a distance from the component.

The present invention provides a liquid level gage with C-plane sapphire. In an exemplary embodiment, the liquid level gage includes a hood assembly, a liquid column assembly, and an illuminator assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the liquid column assembly includes a plurality of gage body assemblies. In an exemplary embodiment, each gage body assembly includes a body, a front port assembly, and a rear port assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, each front port assembly and each rear port assembly includes a glass module and a nut module. In an exemplary embodiment, each glass module includes a glass disk. In an exemplary embodiment, each glass disk is formed from C-plane sapphire.

An optical operating fluid detector for optical detection of operating fluid for a hand-guided garden, forestry and/or construction machining appliance includes a light source, an operating fluid line and a light receiver. The light source is designed for radiation of rays of light. The operating fluid line is designed for optical interaction of rays of light from the light source with operating fluid in line for the optical detection of operating fluid. The light receiver is designed for differing reception of rays of light from the line in dependence on the presence or the absence of operating fluid in the line. The operating fluid detector has an optical deflecting device. The deflecting device is designed for deflection of rays of light from the light source to the operating fluid line and/or for deflection of rays of light from the line to the light receiver. The operating fluid line is designed for differing diversion of rays of light from the light source in dependence on the presence or the absence of operating fluid in the line for optical detection of operating fluid.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for determining a volume of remaining liquid in a container are disclosed. A container profile can first be developed using image analysis to determine a maximum liquid level in the container. The profile can then be broken into divisions, each corresponding to an equal volume. When real-world measurements of a liquid level in a real-world container are made, these can be translated to one of the divisions, which can be summed with all underlying divisions to estimate a volume of remaining liquid in the real-world container.

The disclosure relates to a method for measuring fill level of a fill substance using terahertz (THz) pulses or for determining distance to an object using terahertz pulses, as well as to a fill-level measuring device suitable for performing such method. The THz pulses are transmitted with a repetition frequency, wherein the repetition frequency according to the invention is controlled in such a manner as a function of travel time that the repetition frequency increases in the case of decreasing travel time and decreases in the case of increasing travel time. The separation or the fill level is determined not based on the measured travel time, but is based on repetition frequency. An exact fill level determination can be performed based on THz pulses, even when the frequency of the THz pulses significantly fluctuates. Consequently, very simply embodied pulse production units with comparatively small requirements for frequency stability of the THz pulses can be used.

An optoelectronic module for a light barrier for fill height monitoring of an ice collection container in a household ice maker includes a module housing, which bears a light passage surface located at the boundary between the optoelectronic module and the space outside the module for the passage of a beam of light of the light barrier. The module further has a printed circuit board accommodated in the module housing, an optoelectronic component mounted on the printed circuit board, serving as a light transmitter or receiver, with a main lobe axis, and a cylindrical light-guiding element for guidance of the light beam located in the beam path between the light passage surface and the optoelectronic component, and at a distance from the component.