GAS SHUT-OFF VALVE WITH FEEDBACK

• US 20110074602A1
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Paolino, Joseph, Cahill-O'Brien, Barry, Cornwall, Mark K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,493,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

Disclosed are apparatus and methodology for providing a feedback mechanism to a system operator that provides a positive indication of the position of a valve which controls gas flow to a consumer. Rotation of a stepper motor controlling a valve mechanism is optically monitored and a feedback signal is sent to the system operator indicating positive operation of the valve only when a selected number of rotations of the stepper motor is reported. The stepper motor may be operated in different modes, each associated with different nominal current consumption levels. In a higher current consumption mode, such as a torque-oriented mode, the stepper motor may be stepped a few additional steps after valve closure to ensure seating of the valve.

Claims

1. An advanced meter reading system for transmitting between user locations and a centralized data collection facility data and commands related to utility usage and utility supply connections, said system comprising:

a plurality of utility metrology means and associated endpoint devices, situated at respective locations of utility consumption, for bidirectional communications for transmitting utility consumption data associated with a respective location and for receiving commands thereto;

at least one remotely controllable valve means, associated with at least one of said utility metrology means and its associated endpoint device, for alternately closing and opening the flow of a utility supply associated with said at least one utility metrology means at its respective location in response to command signals transmitted to its associated endpoint device, said valve means including feedback means for transmitting data regarding the status of said valve means;

a main communications network for bidirectional communications with said endpoint devices; and

a head end processor for bidirectional communications with said main communications network, such that utility consumption data and valve status data are communicated with said head end processor via said main communications network.

2. An advanced meter reading system as in claim 1, further including:

a mobile device in RF communication with other components of said system, for controllably receiving utility consumption data and valve status data, and for selectively sending command signals to said valve means at a respective location thereof; and

wherein said head end processor selectively sends commands signals to said valve means at a respective location thereof.

3. An advanced meter reading system as in claim 1, wherein:

said utility consumption comprises gas consumption;

said utility supply comprises a gas line associated with said utility consumption locations; and

said system further includes a plurality of remotely controllable valve means, associated with at least selected of said utility metrology means and associated endpoint devices, for alternately closing and opening the flow of a utility supply associated with said selected utility metrology means at its respective location in response to command signals transmitted thereto, said valve means respectively including feedback means for transmitting data regarding the status of such valve means at a given location thereof;

wherein each of said valve means respectively includes a stepper motor driven valve, inline with said gas line, and a drive circuit for each associated stepper motor, with such drive circuit receiving command signals via its associated endpoint, and said feedback means respectively includes an optical sensor for counting turns of its associated stepper motor and providing an output of such counts to its associated endpoint by which the status of such associated valve means can be tracked and reported.

4. An advanced meter reading system as in claim 1, further including:

at least one collector, for bidirectional communications with said endpoint devices and said main communications network; and

a plurality of remotely controllable valve means, associated with at least selected of said utility metrology means and associated endpoint devices, for alternately closing and opening the flow of a utility supply associated with said selected utility metrology means at its respective location in response to command signals transmitted thereto, said valve means respectively including feedback means for transmitting data regarding the status of such valve means at a given location thereof;

wherein said utility consumption comprises one of gas and water consumption.

5. An advanced meter reading system as in claim 4, wherein:

said utility consumption comprises gas consumption;

said system further includes a plurality of telemetry devices respectively associated with a plurality of utility consumption locations, each of said telemetry devices monitoring for a preselected condition at its respective location, and transmitting data to said head end processor related to such preselected condition; and

said telemetry devices respectively include alarm means for forwarding alarm signaling to said head end processor whenever monitored conditions thereat fall outside set parameters.

6. An advanced meter reading system as in claim 1, further including:

a plurality of remotely controllable valve means, associated with at least selected of said utility metrology means and associated endpoint devices, for alternately closing and opening the flow of a utility supply associated with said selected utility metrology means at its respective location in response to command signals transmitted thereto, said valve means respectively including feedback means for transmitting data regarding the status of such valve means at a given location thereof;

wherein said utility consumption comprises gas consumption;

said utility metrology means comprise respective gas meters;

said utility supply comprises a gas line associated with said utility consumption locations; and

said valve means respectively comprise

a controllable valve inline with such supply gas line and associated with its respective endpoint device,

a stepper motor for selectively driving its associated controllable valve, and

a sensor for monitoring operation of its associated stepper motor, and providing an output to its associated endpoint by which the status of such associated valve means can be tracked and reported.

7. An advanced meter reading system as in claim 1, wherein:

said head end processor further includes data management means, for storing and processing utility consumption data; and

said main communications network comprises one of a WAN, a wireless network, and the internet.

8. An advanced meter reading system as in claim 1, further including:

at least one collector, for bidirectional communications with said endpoint devices and said main communications network;

a plurality of remotely controllable valve means, associated with at least selected of said utility metrology means and associated endpoint devices, for alternately closing and opening the flow of a utility supply associated with said selected utility metrology means at its respective location in response to command signals transmitted thereto, said valve means respectively including feedback means for transmitting data regarding the status of such valve means at a given location thereof; and

a mobile device in RF communication with other components of said system, for controllably receiving utility consumption data and valve status data, and for selectively sending command signals to said valve means at a respective location thereof;

wherein said utility consumption comprises gas consumption;

said utility metrology means comprise respective gas meters;

said utility supply comprises a gas line associated with said utility consumption locations;

said head end processor further includes data management functionality, for storing and processing utility consumption data;

said main communications network comprises one of a WAN, a wireless network, and the internet; and

said valve means respectively comprise controllable valves inline with such supply gas line and associated with its respective endpoint device, and sensors for monitoring the positions of its associated valve, and providing an output to its associated endpoint by which the status of such associated valve means can be tracked and reported.

9. A bidirectional gas AMI network for transmitting commands and gas supply related data between user locations and a centralized data collection facility, said network comprising:

a plurality of combined gas metrology/endpoint devices for obtaining and transmitting gas usage data associated with its respective location, said endpoint devices providing bidirectional RF communications from its respective location;

a plurality of remotely controllable valve means, associated with at least selected of said utility metrology means and associated endpoint devices, for alternately closing and opening gas supply associated with said selected utility metrology means at its respective location in response to command signals transmitted thereto, said valve means respectively including feedback means for transmitting data regarding the status of such valve means at a given location thereof;

a main communications network for bidirectional communications with said endpoint devices;

a mobile device in RF communication with other components of said system, for controllably receiving gas supply related data and valve status data, and for selectively sending command signals to said valve means at a respective location thereof; and

a centralized data collection facility in bidirectional communications with said main communications network, such that gas supply related data, valve status data, and command signals are communicated with said centralized data collection facility via said main communications network.

10. A network as in claim 9, wherein said valve means respectively comprise:

a controllable valve inline with such gas supply and associated with its respective endpoint device at a given location thereof,

a stepper motor for selectively driving its associated controllable valve, and

an optical sensor for counting turns of its associated stepper motor and providing an output of such counts to its associated endpoint, and

wherein such associated endpoint further includes a microcontroller for processing the associated optical sensor output by which the status of such associated valve means can be tracked and reported.

11. A network as in claim 9, further including:

a plurality of data collection devices, for bidirectional communications with selected of said endpoint devices and said main communications network; and

wherein said centralized data collection facility includes a head end processor having meter data management means for storing and processing data received via said network; and

said main communications network comprises one of a WAN, a wireless network, and the internet.

12. A method for gathering data for monitoring gas consumption and gas supply conditions associated with selected locations along a gas pipeline of a gas utility provider, such method comprising:

transmitting gas consumption data from a plurality of endpoint devices associated with respective locations of gas utility usage;

communicating such data to a central location via a main communications network;

providing controllable shut-off valves at selected locations of gas utility usage, associated with respective endpoints, and responsive to control signals transmitted thereto via such associated endpoints for valve activation to change between respective opened and closed positions thereof; and

monitoring the positioning of the shut-off valves and providing feedback thereon to the central location via the main communications network, whereby positive feedback on completion of valve activations can be monitored and centrally reported to a gas utility provider.

13. A method as in claim 12, further including transmitting such control signals to selected shut-off valves from either such central location via the main communications network or from a mobile device selectively providing RF communications.

14. A method as in claim 12, wherein:

such monitoring includes detecting failure of a shut-off valve to close as commanded by a control signal; and

such providing feedback includes reporting such failure to the central location.

15. A method as in claim 12, wherein:

such monitoring includes detecting completion of a shut-off valve closure as commanded by a control signal; and

such providing feedback includes reporting such completion to the central location.

16. A method as in claim 12, wherein such valve activation includes selectively driving a stepper motor associated with a gas pipeline inline valve, for controllably opening or closing such valve as commanded by a control signal.

17. A method as in claim 16, wherein such providing feedback includes sensing and counting revolutions of such stepper motor.

18. A method as in claim 16, wherein such selectively driving includes selectively controlling the mode of operation of such stepper motor, so as to more fully seat a closure operation by an associated valve by switching to torque mode operation, and to more efficiently use power for such stepper motor by switching to a wave mode of operation thereof.

19. A method as in claim 16, further including:

monitoring for a preselected condition at selected locations;

transmitting data to such central location related to such preselected condition; and

forwarding alarm signaling to such central location whenever such monitored conditions at a selected location fall outside set parameters.

20. A method as in claim 16, further including:

conducting data management at the central location, for storing and processing gas consumption data received thereat via the network; and

wherein the network at least in part comprises one of a WAN, a wireless network, and the internet.