Patent ID: 8150615

Claim:
A computer implemented method for monitoring fluid levels of a consumable liquid in a storage tank, the method comprising: providing a monitoring unit associated with a storage tank, said monitoring unit in close proximity to the storage tank and communicatively linked with a sensor that provides fluid level information indicative of the amount of fluid in the storage tank, wherein the monitoring unit includes at least one processor with circuitry for receiving and processing the fluid level information; providing a central server remotely located from the storage tank, said central server communicatively linked with the monitoring unit so that fluid level information can be transmitted via a communications link to the central server from the monitoring unit; receiving, by the processor, fluid level information from the sensor; determining, by the processor, whether a predefined out-of-ordinary event has occurred; in response to a determination that a predefined out-of-ordinary event has occurred, sending notice via the communications link to the central server from the monitoring unit; transmitting fluid level information from the monitoring unit to the central server via the communications link between the monitoring unit and the central server; and receiving, by the central server, fluid level information, the central server then processing received fluid level information (i) to provide displayable fluid level data, and (ii) to forecast future fluid levels utilizing at least stored fluid level data.