System, methods and apparatus for a leak detector and monitor

• US 10,186,137 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2016
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vidtek Associates NV Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Vidtek Associates NV Incorporated
• Inventors: Zokaei, Reza, Jalilian, Mohammad
• Primary Examiner(s): McCormack, Thomas S
• Application Number:
  US15/170,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20160351040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 340604, 340605
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/20 responsive to moisture
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention include a leak detector and monitor comprising: at least one leak sensor adapted to detect a leak of a substance; at least one microcontroller adapted to receive a signal from the leak sensor; and at least one wireless communication module adapted to receive the signal from the microcontroller, whereby the wireless communication module transmits an electronic message to at least one user, whereby the user wirelessly communicates his instructions to the microcontroller to exercise control over at least one electrical valve by transmitting at least one electrical signal to the electrical valve. Aspects of the present invention include a leak detector and monitor comprising: at least one leak sensor adapted to detect a leak of a substance; at least one microcontroller adapted to receive a signal from the leak sensor; and at least one wireless communication module adapted to receive the signal from the microcontroller, whereby the wireless communication module transmits an electronic message to an Internet cloud based server and the Internet cloud based server transmits the electronic message to a user'"'"'s device, whereby the user wirelessly communicates his instructions to the Internet cloud based server and the Internet cloud based server transmits the user'"'"'s instructions to the microcontroller to exercise control over at least one electrical valve by transmitting at least one electrical signal to the electrical valve. Aspects of the present invention include a method of remotely exercising control over an electrical valve comprising the steps of: positioning a leak detector in a location to amenable to detecting leaks; receiving a notification of a leak; and communicating instructions to exercise control over an electrical valve, whereby causing the electrical valve to be shut off.

Claims

1. A leak detector and monitor comprising:

a sensing device, said sensing device comprising at least one first microcontroller, at least one first wireless communication module, and at least one leak sensor adapted to detect a leak of a substance;

said at least one first microcontroller adapted to receive a signal from the at least one leak sensor; and

said at least one first wireless communication module adapted to receive the signal from the at least one first microcontroller, whereby the at least one first wireless communication module transmits an electronic message to at least one user via at least one first wireless communication network, whereby the user wirelessly communicates user'"'"'s instructions to exercise control over an action device using at least one second wireless communication network, wherein said action device comprises a power module, a second wireless communication module, a second microcontroller, a relay, and at least one electrical valve, and wherein said relay transmits at least one electrical signal to the electrical valve upon receipt of instructions from said at least one user, and upon completing said at least one user'"'"'s instructions said second wireless communication module sends an acknowledgement of completion of said at least one user'"'"'s instructions to said at least one user using said at least one second wireless communication network.

2. The leak detector and monitor of claim 1, wherein the at least one first wireless communication module transmits notifications to the at least one user via said at least one first wireless communication network.

3. The leak detector of claim 1, wherein the leak sensor, said at least one first microcontroller and said at least one first wireless communication module are housed as a sensor device.

4. The leak detector of claim 3, wherein said electrical valve is physically connected to one of said first or second microcontroller and housed together in the sensor device.

5. The leak detector of claim 1, wherein said action device and said sensing device are housed together.

6. The leak detector of claim 1, wherein at least one leak sensor is set up as a mesh network, whereby multiple sensors are connected to a wireless access point hub to communicate with a monitoring server.

15. The leak detector of, claim 1, wherein said action device and said sensing device are housed together as an integrated unit.

16. The leak detector of claim 1, wherein said action device and said sensing device are housed together as an integrated unit, and wherein said at least one first wireless communication module is different than said second wireless communication module.

17. The leak detector of claim 1, wherein said at least one first wireless communication module is selected from a group consisting of a Bluetooth module, a WiFi module, and a WiFi IEEE 802.11 (a/b/g/n/d/e/i/k/r/ac/ad) module.

7. A leak detector and monitor comprising:

a sensing device, said sensing device comprising at least one lust microcontroller, at least one first wireless communication module, and at least one leak sensor adapted to detect a leak of a substance;

said at least one first microcontroller adapted to receive a signal from the at least one leak sensor; and

said at least one first wireless communication module adapted to receive the signal from the at least one first microcontroller, whereby the at least one first wireless communication module transmits an electronic message to an Internet cloud based server and the Internet cloud based server transmits the electronic, message to a user'"'"'s device via at least one first wireless communication network, whereby the user wirelessly communicates user'"'"'s instructions using at least one second wireless communication network to the Internet cloud based server and the Internet cloud based server transmits the user'"'"'s instructions to exercise control over an action device, wherein said action device comprises a power module, a second wireless communication module, a second microcontroller, a relay, and at least one electrical valve, and wherein said relay transmits at least one electrical signal to the electrical valve upon receipt of instructions from said at least one user, and upon completing said at least one user'"'"'s instructions said second wireless communication module sends an acknowledgement of completion of said at least one user'"'"'s instructions to said at least one user using said at least one second wireless communication network.

8. The leak detector and monitor of claim 7, Wherein the at least one first wireless communication module transmits notifications to the at least one user via said at least one first wireless communication network.

9. The leak detector of claim 7, wherein the leak sensor, said at least one first microcontroller and said at least one first wireless communication module are housed as a sensor device.

10. The leak detector of claim 9, wherein said electrical valve is physically connected to one of said first or second microcontroller and housed in the sensor device.

11. The leak detector of claim 7, wherein said action device and said sensing device are housed together.

18. The leak detector of, claim 7, wherein said action device and said sensing device are housed together as an integrated unit.

19. The leak detector of claim 7, wherein said action device and said sensing device are housed together as an integrated unit, and wherein said at least one first wireless communication module is different than said second wireless communication module.

20. The leak detector of claim 7, wherein said at least one first wireless communication module is selected from a group consisting of a Bluetooth module, a WiFi module, and a WiFi IEEE 802.11 (a/b/g/n/d/e/i/k/r/ac/ad) module.

12. A method of remotely exercising control over an electrical valve comprising the steps of;

positioning at least one leak detector having a first microcontroller and a first wireless communication module in a location amenable to detecting leaks;

receiving a notification of a leak from one of said at least one leak detector via, said first wireless communication module via at least one first wireless communication network; and

communicating instructions from at least one user using at least one second wireless communication network to a second microcontroller via a second wireless communication module to exercise control over an electrical valve, whereby causing the electrical valve to be shut off to stop said leak, and upon completing said at least one user'"'"'s instructions said second wireless communication module sends an acknowledgement of completion of said at least one user'"'"'s instructions to said at least one user using said at least one second wireless communication network.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of receiving a notification of a leak from an Internet cloud based server.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating instructions to an Internet cloud based server, whereby the Internet cloud based server transmits the instructions to said second microcontroller.