Analysis Of Pipe Systems With Sensor Devices

• US 20170238072A1
• Filed: 02/15/2017
• Published: 08/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olea Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Olea Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Mackie, David, Boelter, Corey James, Jaehde, Astrid, Grefen, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 10,408,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/006 Remote reading of utility meters to a non-fixed location, i.e. mobile location
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/008 Modifications to installed utility meters to enable remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/075 with magnetic or electromagnetic coupling to the indicating device
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/56 by using electric or magnetic effects G01F1/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/60 Circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 25/10 of flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/243 for pipes
• 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: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/86 Performing a diagnostic of the sensing device
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/886 using energy harvesting, e.g. solar, wind or mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• 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

An infrastructure and methods for the analysis of flow in pipe systems. In a preferred form, the infrastructure and methods account for energy status of a sensor device and wear cost functions. The infrastructure comprises a controller and a plurality of sensor devices coupled to the pipe system to collect measurements related to one or more of the following: vibration, magnetic field, fluid pressure, temperature, humidity, chemical composition of the fluid, fluid flow or fluid throughput. The controller has access to a database containing one or both of—(i) current energy status of a sensor device and/or (ii) a cost allocation relating to use of a sensor device and assigns workloads using energy status and/or cost.

Claims

1. A system of sensor devices connected to a pipe system transporting a fluid, comprising:

a plurality of sensor devices operatively coupled to the pipe system to collect measurements related to one or more of the following;

vibration, magnetic field, fluid pressure, temperature, humidity, chemical compensation of the fluid, fluid flow or fluid throughput;

each sensor device having an autonomous power source, a current energy status and a network connector;

a network connecting a number of said sensor devices through said network connectors;

a controller connected to the network and to the number of sensor devices and to a database containing one or both of—

(i) current energy status of a sensor device, (ii) a cost allocation relating to use of a sensor device;

the controller being operable to determine assigned workloads to one or more of said number of sensor devices based on one or both of—

(i) maximizing the number of workloads performed by said sensor devices based at least in part on current energy status, (ii) said cost allocation relating to use of a sensor device,

the controller being operable to command operation of one or more of said number of sensor devices based on said assigned workloads by communicating through the network to said sensor devices.

2. The system of claim 1, said current energy status comprising charge status of a battery powering a sensor device.

3. The system of claim 1, said cost allocation comprising wear schedule of a sensor device before required maintenance and the cost of the required maintenance.

4. The system of claim 1, said cost allocation comprising wear schedule of a sensor device before failure of said sensor device.

5. The system of claim 1, said assigned workloads also based on priority of workload.

6. The system of claim 1, said assigned workloads comprising determining back pressure in the pipe system.

7. The system of claim 1, one of said assigned workloads comprising fluid flow rate at a location in the pipe system.

8. The system of claim 7, said assigned workloads comprising determining flow rate at said location over a time interval to determine fluid throughput in the pipe system.

9. The system of claim 8, said assigned workloads comprising determining fluid throughput at a second location and comparing the fluid throughput at the first and second locations to determine fluid leaks.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said controller communicates through the network to a sensor device using a peer to peer scheme.

11. The system of claim 1, the pipe system comprising a municipal potable water distribution system and the sensor devices being distributed over a wide geographic area.

12. A method of operating a network of sensor devices connected to a pipe system transporting a fluid, comprising:

communicating the energy status of a number of said sensor devices through a network to a controller;

scheduling a workload for one or more sensor devices with the controller based at least in part on one or both of—

(i) current energy status of a sensor device, (ii) a cost allocation relating to use of a sensor device;

communicating the scheduled workload to a sensor device through the network.

13. The method of claim 12, the scheduled workloads of said sensor devices comprising collecting measurements related to one or more of the following:

vibration, magnetic field, fluid pressure, temperature, humidity, chemical compensation of the fluid, fluid flow or fluid throughput.

14. The method of claim 12, determining the current energy status based at least in part on the charge status of a battery powering a sensor device.

15. The method of claim 12, determining said cost allocation based on a wear schedule of a sensor device before required maintenance and the cost of the required maintenance.

16. The method of claim 12, using said scheduled workloads for determining one or more of—

back pressure in the pipe system, fluid flow rate at a location in the pipe system, fluid throughput in the pipe system, fluid leaks.

17. The method of claim 13, recording the measurements in a database to analyze the current state of the pipe system.