System for detecting flow characteristics and activating automatic flow shutoff

• US 10,229,579 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2018
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rachio, Inc
• Original Assignee: Rachio, Inc
• Inventors: Alcorn, Bradley Wilson, Garsombke, Franz David, Miles, Eric Lester, Klein, Christopher Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Shirley
• Application Number:
  US15/901,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20180182228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/47 Responding to irregular working conditions, e.g. malfunctioning of pumps safety arrangements D06F37/42
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/081 Safety arrangements for preventing water damage
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/071 Arrangement of safety devices in domestic pipe systems, e.g. devices for automatic shut-off
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/34 by measuring pressure or differential pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/66 by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/662 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/68 by using thermal effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/005 Valves valves in general F16K
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/06 Indicating or recording devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/0755 involving digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 25/10 of flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/28 for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves ; for welds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/20 responsive to moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/15 Leakage reduction or detection in water storage or distribution

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to a flow detection system. The system may include a flow detection hub fluidly connected to a fluid supply pipe including a flow sensor that detects a flow rate of fluid flowing through the fluid supply pipe and a processing element in communication with the flow sensor and a user device. The processing element performs the following operations: determining a first delta based on a first flow rate data from the flow sensor; determining a second delta based on a second flow rate data from the flow sensor; correlating the first delta and the second delta to a first event; and transmitting a message to a user device corresponding to the first event.

Claims

1. A flow detection system for detecting flow events in a fluid supply system including two or more fluid consumption devices, comprising:

a flow detection hub fluidly connected to a fluid supply pipe in fluid communication with the two or more fluid consumption devices, the flow detection hub comprising;

a flow sensor that detects a flow rate of fluid flowing through the fluid supply pipe; and

a valve actuator to selectively prevent fluid flow from the fluid supply pipe to the two or more fluid consumption devices; and

a processing element in communication with the flow sensor and a user device, wherein the processing element performs the following operations;

determining a first delta based on a first flow rate data from the flow sensor;

determining a second delta based on a second flow rate data from the flow sensor;

correlating the first delta and the second delta to a first event; and

transmitting a message to the user device corresponding to the first event and selectively activating the valve actuator to prevent fluid flow from the fluid supply pipe to the two or more fluid consumption devices.

2. The flow detection system of claim 1, wherein the flow detection hub further comprises a pressure sensor that detects fluid pressure of fluid within the fluid supply pipe, wherein the processing element uses pressure data from the pressure sensor to correlate the first delta and the second delta to the first event.

3. The flow detection system of claim 1, wherein the processing element uses one or more flow characteristics of the first flow rate and the second flow rate to correlate the first delta and the second delta to the first event.

4. The flow detection system of claim 3, wherein the one or more flow characteristics include at least one of a pressure frequency, a time between the first delta and the second delta, and a rate of change of flow rate.

5. The flow detection system of claim 1, wherein the message comprises flow device information corresponding to at least one of the two or more fluid consumption devices related to the first event.

6. The flow detection system of claim 5, wherein the two or more fluid consumption devices comprise at least one of:

a toilet, a faucet, a washing machine, a dish washer, a hose, or a refrigerator.

7. The flow detection system of claim 1, wherein the processing element further correlates the first event to a fluid device based on comparing characteristics of the first event to characteristics of a stored flow signature of the two or more fluid consumption devices.