Sensing Events Affecting Liquid Flow in a Liquid Distribution System

• US 20140026644A1
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Published: 01/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Washington
• Original Assignee: University of Washington
• Inventors: PATEL, Shwetak N., FOGARTY, James A., FROEHLICH, Jon E., LARSON, Eric C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,250,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/40
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/071 Arrangement of safety devices in domestic pipe systems, e.g. devices for automatic shut-off
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 1/08 for liquids or viscous products water-main or service pipe systems E03B7/04; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 5/02 Preventing, monitoring, or locating loss
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/34 by measuring pressure or differential pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/066 involving magnetic transmission devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/0755 involving digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/26 by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2807 for pipes G01M3/2892, G01M3/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2815 using pressure measurements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/00 Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/15 Leakage reduction or detection in water storage or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8175 Plural

Abstract

By monitoring pressure transients in a liquid within a liquid distribution system using only a single sensor, events such as the opening and closing of valves at specific fixtures are readily detected. The sensor, which can readily be coupled to a faucet bib, transmits an output signal to a computing device. Each such event can be identified by the device based by comparing characteristic features of the pressure transient waveform with previously observed characteristic features for events in the system. These characteristic features, which can include the varying pressure, derivative, and real Cepstrum of the pressure transient waveform, can be used to select a specific fixture where a valve open or close event has occurred. Flow to each fixture and leaks in the system can also be determined from the pressure transient signal. A second sensor disposed at a point disparate from the first sensor provides further event information.

Claims

1-44. -44. (canceled)

45. An apparatus for monitoring a flow of water in a pipe system of a structure, the pipe system is coupled between a water source and two or more water fixtures, the apparatus comprising:

a processing module configured to run on a computational unit; and

a sensing device comprising;

one or more pressure sensors configured to provide two or more pressure measurements,

wherein;

the one or more pressure sensors are configured to couple to at least one of the pipe system of the structure or the two or more water fixtures;

the one or more pressure sensors are coupled to the pipe system of the structure or the two or more water fixtures such that the one or more pressure sensors are not coupled to the pipe system between a first one of the two or more water fixtures and the water source;

the sensing device is further configured to communicate the two or more pressure measurements to the computational unit; and

the processing module is configured to use the two or more pressure measurements to determine water usage by at least the first one of the two or more water fixtures and a second one of the two or more water fixtures.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

the processing module is further configured to determine a total water usage of the two or more water fixtures that are coupled to the pipe system of the structure during a predetermined period of time; and

the total water usage comprising the water usage.

47. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

the processing module is further configured to use the two or more pressure measurements to determine the water usage by at least the first one of the two or more water fixtures and the second one of the two or more water fixtures by disaggregating the water usage of each of the two or more water fixtures that are coupled to the pipe system of the structure.

48. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

the sensing device further comprises;

a processor;

a communication module configured to run on the processor and further configured to communicate the two or more pressure measurements to the computational unit using an Internet; and

a pre-processing module configured to run on the processor and further configured to perform one or more processing operations to the two or more pressure measurements before the communication module communicates the two or more pressure measurements to the computational unit.

49. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

the second one of the two or more water fixtures comprises a faucet;

the one or more pressure sensors are coupled to the pipe system between the water source and the faucet; and

the faucet is not coupled to the pipe system between the first one of the two or more water fixtures and the water source.

50. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

the one or more pressure sensors are coupled to the pipe system of the structure at an end point of the pipe system.

51. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

a first one of the one or more pressure sensors are coupled to the pipe system of the structure at a first point of the pipe system;

the first point of the pipe system is not located in the pipe system between the first one of the two or more water fixtures and the water source;

the first one of the one or more pressure sensors is configured to determine the two or more pressure measurements at the first point in the pipe system; and

the processing module is further configured determine the water usage of each of the two or more water fixtures that are coupled to the pipe system of the structure using the two or more pressure measurements from the first point in the pipe system.

52. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

the one or more pressure sensors are coupled to the pipe system of the structure such that the one or more pressure sensors are not coupled to the pipe system between the second one of the two or more water fixtures and the water source.

53. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

the one or more pressure sensors are coupled to the pipe system of the structure such that the one or more pressure sensors are coupled to the pipe system between the second one of the two or more water fixtures and the water source.

54. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

the two or more water fixtures comprise at least two of;

a faucet, a bathroom sink, a toilet, a kitchen sink, a bathtub, a dishwasher, a shower, a hot water heater, or a clothing washing machine.

55. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

the first one of the two or more water fixtures comprises a reservoir with a reservoir valve that opens automatically if a level of the water in the reservoir drops below a predefined level; and

the processing module is further configured to detect a leak from the reservoir by identifying one or more characteristics in the two or more pressure measurements.

56. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

the processing module is further configured to determining whether a valve associated with the first one of the two or more water fixtures has changed state by closing more or by opening more.

57. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

the processing module is further configured to detecting a leak in the pipe system by detecting the flow of the water in the pipe system during a period of time during which none of the two or more water fixtures had been detected to be open.

58. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

the processing module is further configured to communicate the water usage of each of the two or more water fixtures to a user via a graphical user interface.

59. A method for monitoring a flow of water in water piping of a building, the water piping is coupled to a pressure regulator and two or more water fixtures, the method comprising:

monitoring pressure at a first point in the water piping to produce one or more output signals indicative of the pressure at the first point in the water piping;

communicating the one or more output signals to a server;

after communicating the one or more output signals, detecting one or more water-related events occurring in the water piping based upon one or more changes in the pressure indicated by the one or more output signals;

associating the one or more water-related events with a first one of the two or more water fixtures; and

communicating information regarding the one or more water-related events and the first one of the two or more water fixtures to a user,

wherein;

the first point in the water piping is not located in the water piping between the pressure regulator and the first one of the two or more water fixtures.

60. The method of claim 59, further comprising:

detecting one or more second water-related events occurring in the water piping based upon one or more second changes in the pressure indicated by the one or more output signals; and

before associating the one or more water-related events, correlating the one or more second water-related events with a second one of the two or more water fixtures.

61. The method of claim 59, wherein:

communicating the one or more output signals to the server comprises;

communicating the one or more output signals to the server over the Internet.

62. The method of claim 59, further comprising:

coupling a pressure sensor to a first faucet such that the pressure sensor is coupled to the water piping at the first point in the water piping,

wherein;

monitoring the pressure at the first point comprises;

using the pressure sensor to monitor the pressure and to produce the one or more output signals indicative of the pressure at the first point in the water piping;

the two or more water fixtures comprise the first faucet; and

the first one of the two or more water fixtures does not comprise the first faucet.

63. The method of claim 59, further comprising:

coupling a pressure sensor to the water piping at the first point in the water piping,

wherein;

monitoring the pressure at the first point comprises;

using the pressure sensor to monitor the pressure and to produce the one or more output signals indicative of the pressure at the first point in the water piping.

64. The method of claim 59, wherein:

the first one of the two or more water fixtures comprises a reservoir with a reservoir valve that opens automatically if a level of the water in the reservoir drops below a predefined level;

associating the one or more water-related event with the first one of the two or more water fixtures comprises;

detecting a leak from the reservoir by identifying one or more characteristics in the one or more output signals;

communicating the information comprises;

communicating to the user that the leak in the reservoir has occurred.