Portable Hydrant Meter And System Of Use Thereof
First Claim
1. A meter system for collecting and communicating flow data for water from a fire hydrant having a discharge nozzle, the system comprising:
- a portable water meter releaseably mountable on a discharge nozzle of the fire hydrant;
a flow sensor constructed and arranged to output a flow signal representative of the water flow rate passing therethrough the portable water meter;
a processor configured to receive the flow signal output by the flow sensor, process the flow signal to adapt the flow signal for transmission, and store the processed flow signal in a data storage device;
a satellite positioning system including a receiver adapted to receive satellite position determining signals, wherein the processor is configured to receive the satellite position determining signals output by the satellite positioning system, process the satellite position determining signals to adapt the satellite position determining signals for transmission, and store the processed positioning signal in the data storage device;
a communication device operatively coupled to the processor that is adapted to transmit the processed flow signal and the processed positioning signal from the water meter via a communication medium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The meter system comprises a portable water meter that is releaseably mountable onto a discharge nozzle of the fire hydrant and a flow sensor that senses the water flow rate passing therethrough the portable water meter. A processor receives, processes, and/or stores data from the flow sensor and a satellite positioning system, operatively coupled to the processor, that is adapted to receive satellite position determining signals. The hydrant meter system further comprises a communication device that is operatively coupled to the processor and is adapted to transmit the processed flow signal and the processed positioning signal to a remote server system via a communication medium. The hydrant meter system allows for automated water utility resource measurements, data collection and exercise of control and notification of fire hydrant water usage.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A meter system for collecting and communicating flow data for water from a fire hydrant having a discharge nozzle, the system comprising:
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a portable water meter releaseably mountable on a discharge nozzle of the fire hydrant;
a flow sensor constructed and arranged to output a flow signal representative of the water flow rate passing therethrough the portable water meter;
a processor configured to receive the flow signal output by the flow sensor, process the flow signal to adapt the flow signal for transmission, and store the processed flow signal in a data storage device;
a satellite positioning system including a receiver adapted to receive satellite position determining signals, wherein the processor is configured to receive the satellite position determining signals output by the satellite positioning system, process the satellite position determining signals to adapt the satellite position determining signals for transmission, and store the processed positioning signal in the data storage device;
a communication device operatively coupled to the processor that is adapted to transmit the processed flow signal and the processed positioning signal from the water meter via a communication medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A portable meter apparatus for a fire hydrant having a discharge nozzle, the apparatus comprising:
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a housing releaseably mountable on a discharge nozzle of a fire hydrant, the housing having an inlet end, an outlet end, and defining a conduit extending therebetween the inlet and outlet ends;
a flow sensor in communication with the conduit, the flow sensor generating a flow signal representative of a flow rate therethrough the conduit;
a means for determining the geographic coordinate location information of the housing;
a processor that is mountable to the housing and is coupled to the flow rate sensor and the means for determining the geographic coordinate location information; and
a means for transmitting, coupled to the processor, the flow rate signal and the geographic coordinate location of the housing remotely from the housing.
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20. A meter system for a fire hydrant having a discharge nozzle, the system comprising:
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a) a server system, comprising;
i) a server receiver;
ii) a server transmitter; and
iii) a server computer coupled to the server receiver and the server transmitter;
b) a portable meter apparatus, comprising;
i) a housing mountable on a discharge nozzle of a fire hydrant, the housing having an inlet end, an outlet end, and defining a conduit extending therebetween the inlet and outlet ends;
ii) a flow sensor in communication with the conduit, the flow rate sensor generating a flow rate signal representative of a flow rate therethrough the conduit;
iii) a processor adapted to receive the flow signal output by the flow sensor, the processor being positioned onto a portion of an exterior of the housing;
iv) a satellite positioning system including a receiver adapted to receive satellite position determining signals, the satellite positioning system being positioned onto a portion of the exterior of the housing, wherein the processor is adapted to receive the satellite position determining signals and process the satellite position determining signals to adapt the satellite position determining signals for transmission;
v) a communication device operatively coupled to the processor that is adapted to transmit the flow signal and processed positioning signal to the server system via a communication medium to the server receiver.
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Specification