WATER-LEAKAGE DETECTION METHOD AND WATER-LEAKAGE DETECTION DEVICE

• US 20130269440A1
• Filed: 03/18/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: MARUTA, Yuuji, OOTATSUME, Kazuhisa
• Application Number:
  US13/846,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20130269440A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/592
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/18 for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves; for welds; for containers, e.g. radiators
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/183 for pipe joints or seals
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/24 using infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic vibrations

Abstract

The water-leakage detection method according to the present invention is a method of detecting a water-leakage using a vibration sensor unit 1 including vibration sensors 12a and 12b and an antenna unit 2 including an antenna 21 and includes arranging the vibration sensor unit 1 under the ground; arranging the antenna unit 2 on the surface of the ground other than a part at which a manhole is placed; connecting the vibration sensor unit 1 and the antenna unit 2 via a cable; collecting data by measuring a vibration with the vibration sensors 12a and 12b of the vibration sensor unit 1; and sending the collected data to a controller unit 4 on the ground using short-range wireless communication 23 via the antenna unit 2 placed on the surface of the ground, thereby retrieving the data.

Claims

1. A water-leakage detection method of detecting a water-leakage using a vibration sensor unit including a vibration sensor and an antenna unit including an antenna, the water-leakage detection method comprising:

arranging the vibration sensor unit under the ground;

arranging the antenna unit on the surface of the ground other than a part at which a manhole is placed;

connecting the vibration sensor unit and the antenna unit via a cable;

collecting data by measuring a vibration with the vibration sensor of the vibration sensor unit; and

sending the collected data to a controller unit on the ground using short-range wireless communication via the antenna unit placed on the surface of the ground, thereby retrieving the data.

2. The water-leakage detection method according to claim 1, wherein

the vibration sensor of the vibration sensor unit is arranged on a wall of a hole provided from the surface of the ground.

3. The water-leakage detection method according to claim 1, wherein

the vibration sensor of the vibration sensor unit is arranged on a wall of a hole provided from the surface of the ground,

a bottom of the hole provided from the surface of the ground is provided so as to reach an outer wall of the manhole, and

the wall on which the vibration sensor is arranged is the outer wall of the manhole.

4. The water-leakage detection method according to claim 1, wherein

the vibration sensor unit is arranged in a manhole.

5. The water-leakage detection method according to claim 1, wherein

the antenna unit is attached to a structure on a road.

6. The water-leakage detection method according to claim 1, wherein

the antenna unit is placed on the surface of the ground beside the lid of the manhole so as to have no irregularity.

7. The water-leakage detection method according to claim 1, wherein

the controller unit receives the data, adds location information to the data, and sends the location information-added data to a water-leakage detection server.

8. A water-leakage detection device for use in the water-leakage detection method according to claim 1, wherein

the vibration sensor of the vibration sensor unit is connected via the cable in the state of being exposed to the outside, and

the vibration sensor unit other than the vibration sensor is integrated with the antenna unit.

9. The water-leakage detection device according to claim 8, wherein

the antenna unit further comprises a power supply unit,

electric power is supplied from the power supply unit to the vibration sensor unit, and

the power supply unit is at least one selected from the group consisting of a solar cell, a vibration energy harvester, and a long-life battery.

10. The water-leakage detection device according to claim 8, wherein

the antenna unit further comprises a LED