System, Methods and Apparatus for a Leak Detector and Monitor

• US 20160351040A1
• Filed: 06/01/2016
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vidtek Associates NV Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Vidtek Associates NV Incorporated
• Inventors: ZOKAEI, Reza, JALILIAN, Mohammad
• Granted Patent: US 10,186,137 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/20 responsive to moisture
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention include a leak detector and monitor comprising: at least one leak sensor adapted to detect a leak of a substance; at least one microcontroller adapted to receive a signal from the leak sensor; and at least one wireless communication module adapted to receive the signal from the microcontroller, whereby the wireless communication module transmits an electronic message to at least one user, whereby the user wirelessly communicates his instructions to the microcontroller to exercise control over at least one electrical valve by transmitting at least one electrical signal to the electrical valve. Aspects of the present invention include a leak detector and monitor comprising: at least one leak sensor adapted to detect a leak of a substance; at least one microcontroller adapted to receive a signal from the leak sensor; and at least one wireless communication module adapted to receive the signal from the microcontroller, whereby the wireless communication module transmits an electronic message to an Internet cloud based server and the Internet cloud based server transmits the electronic message to a user'"'"'s device, whereby the user wirelessly communicates his instructions to the Internet cloud based server and the Internet cloud based server transmits the user'"'"'s instructions to the microcontroller to exercise control over at least one electrical valve by transmitting at least one electrical signal to the electrical valve. Aspects of the present invention include a method of remotely exercising control over an electrical valve comprising the steps of: positioning a leak detector in a location to amenable to detecting leaks; receiving a notification of a leak; and communicating instructions to exercise control over an electrical valve, whereby causing the electrical valve to be shut off.

Claims

1. A leak detector and monitor comprising;

at least one leak sensor adapted to detect a leak of a substance;

at least one microcontroller adapted to receive a signal from the leak sensor; and

at least one wireless communication module adapted to receive the signal from the microcontroller, whereby the wireless communication module transmits an electronic message to at least one user, whereby the user wirelessly communicates his instructions to the microcontroller to exercise control over at least one electrical valve by transmitting at least one electrical signal to the electrical valve.

2. The leak detector and monitor of claim 1, wherein the a wireless communication module transmits notifications to the user.

3. The leak detector of claim 1, wherein the leak sensor, microcontroller and communication module are housed as a sensor device.

4. The leak detector of claim 3, wherein an electrical valve is physically connected to the microcontroller housed together in the sensor device.

5. The leak detector of claim 1, wherein the electrical valve, microcontroller and communication module are housed together as an action device.

6. The leak detector of claim 1, wherein at least one leak sensor is set un as a mesh network, whereby multiple sensors are connected to a ireless access point hub to communicate with a monitoring server.

7. A leak detector and monitor comprising:

at least one leak sensor adapted to detect a leak of a substance;

at least one microcontroller adapted to receive a signal from the leak sensor; and

at least one wireless communication module adapted to receive the signal from the microcontroller, whereby the wireless communication module transmits an electronic message to an Internet cloud based server and the Internet cloud based server transmits the electronic message to a user'"'"'s device, whereby the user wirelessly communicates his instructions to the Internet cloud based server and the Internet cloud based server transmits the user'"'"'s instructions to the microcontroller to exercise control over at least one electrical valve by transmitting at least one electrical signal to the electrical valve.

8. The leak detector and monitor of claim 7, wherein the wireless communication module transmits notifications to the user.

9. The leak detector of claim 7, wherein the leak sensor, microcontroller and communication module are housed as a sensor device.

10. The leak detector of claim 9, wherein an electrical valve is physically connected to the microcontroller housed in the sensor device.

11. The leak detector of claim 7, wherein the electrical valve, microcontroller and communication module are housed as an action device.

12. A method of remotely exercising control over an electrical valve comprising the steps of:

positioning a leak detector in a location to amenable to detecting leaks;

receiving a notification of a leak; and

communicating instructions to exercise control over an electrical valve, whereby causing the electrical valve to be shut off.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of receiving a notification of a leak from an Internet cloud based server.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating instructions to the Internet cloud based server, whereby the cloud based server transmits the instructions to the microcontroller.