SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FLUID FLOW METER INTEGRATED LEAK DETECTION

• US 20200132565A1
• Filed: 10/27/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Streamlabs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Reliance Worldwide Corporation (GSA Industries Pty Limited)
• Inventors: Kent, Ian, Gestner, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 10,830,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/072 Arrangement of flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 5/06 using electric or acoustic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/662 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/003 using electromagnetic, electric or electronic means G01F15/002, G01F15/02 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/075 using electrically-operated integrating means
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2807 for pipes G01M3/2892, G01M3/30 take precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods described herein allow for reliable and computationally efficient detection of fluid leak events or abnormal fluid usage/flow events. A fluid flow meter can measure fluid flow parameter values during a training phase. The fluid flow meter can generate, using the fluid flow parameter data, a training fluid flow duration pattern indicative of, for each value range of a plurality of value ranges of a respective time threshold value. The time threshold value can represent an estimate of a maximum fluid flow duration, within a given fluid flow event, for fluid flow associated with the corresponding value range. During a detection phase, the fluid flow meter can determine, for a value range, a respective fluid flow duration within a current fluid flow event. The fluid flow meter can detect a leak event upon the fluid flow duration exceeds the time threshold value for the same value range.

Claims

1. A fluid flow meter comprising:

a fluid flow sensor to generate fluid flow measurement signals indicative of fluid flow through a lumen of a fluid distribution system;

a memory to store data and computer code instructions; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the fluid flow sensor and the memory, the processor to execute the computer code instructions to;

determine, using a plurality of first measurement signals generated by the fluid flow sensor during a training phase subsequent to installation of the fluid flow meter in the fluid distribution system, a corresponding plurality of first measurements of a fluid flow parameter and first timing information, the fluid flow parameter including fluid flow rate or fluid flow velocity, and the first timing information indicative of time intervals between consecutive first measurements;

identify, using the plurality of first measurements, a plurality of first fluid flow events, each first fluid flow event representing a sequence of non-zero measurements of the plurality of first measurements;

generate, using the plurality of first measurements, the first timing information and the plurality of first fluid flow events, a training flow duration pattern indicative of, for each value range of a plurality of value ranges of the fluid flow parameter, a respective time duration threshold representing an estimate of a maximum time duration, within fluid flow events, of fluid flow parameter values associated with the value range;

determine, using a plurality of second measurement signals obtained from the fluid flow sensor during a detection phase subsequent to the training phase, a plurality of second measurements of the fluid flow parameter and second timing information, the second timing information indicative of time intervals between consecutive second measurements and the plurality of second measurements associated with a second fluid flow event representing a sequence of non-zero measurements;

determine, using the plurality of second measurements and the second timing information, for a first value range of the plurality of value ranges, a time duration for fluid flow associated with the first value range; and

detect a leak event based on a comparison of the time duration for the first value range to the time duration threshold for the first value range.

2. The fluid flow meter of claim 1, wherein the fluid flow sensor includes an ultrasonic fluid flow sensor.

3. The fluid flow meter of claim 1, wherein in generating the training flow duration pattern the processor is configured to:

assign, for each value range of the plurality of values ranges, a respective time counter;

for each first fluid flow event of the plurality of first fluid flow events,

process the respective sequence of non-zero measurements by (i) identifying a value range of the plurality of value ranges to which a current measurement of the respective sequence of non-zero measurements belongs, and (ii) incrementing a time counter of the identified value range by a time increment equal to a time interval between the current measurement and a preceding measurement;

for each value range of the plurality of value ranges, (a) compare the respective time counter for the value range to the time duration threshold for the value range, and (b) responsive to determining that the time duration threshold for the value range is less than the respective time counter for the value range, update the respective time duration threshold for the value range to be equal to the respective time counter for the value range; and

reset, for each value range of the plurality of values ranges, the respective time counter to zero after processing the respective sequence of non-zero measurements.

4. The fluid flow meter of claim 3, wherein in incrementing the respective time counter for the identified value range, the processor is configured to further increment one or more other time counters associated with one or more other value ranges in the neighborhood of the identified value range by the time increment equal to the time interval between the current measurement and the previous measurement.

5. The fluid flow meter of claim 1, wherein in generating the training flow duration pattern the processor is configured to:

assign, for each value range of the plurality of values ranges, a respective time counter;

for each first fluid flow event of the plurality of first fluid flow events,

process the respective sequence of non-zero measurements by (i) determining, for a current measurement, a maximum measurement of already processed measurements among the respective sequence of non-zero measurements, (ii) identifying a value range of the plurality of value ranges to which the maximum measurement belongs, and (iii) incrementing a respective time counter of the identified value range by a time increment equal to a time interval between the current measurement and a preceding measurement;

for each value range of the plurality of value ranges, (a) compare the respective time counter for the value range to the time duration threshold for the value range, and (b) responsive to determining that the time duration threshold for the value range is less than the respective time counter for the value range, update the respective time duration threshold for the value range to be equal to the respective time counter for the value range; and

reset, for each value range of the plurality of values ranges, the respective time counter to zero after processing the respective sequence of non-zero measurements.

6. The fluid flow meter of claim 5, wherein in incrementing the respective time counter for the identified value range, the processor is configured to further increment one or more other time counters associated with one or more other value ranges in the neighborhood of the identified value range by the time increment equal to the time interval between the current measurement and the previous measurement.

7. The fluid flow meter of claim 1, wherein in generating the training flow duration pattern the processor is configured to:

assign, for each value range of the plurality of values ranges, a respective time counter;

for each first fluid flow event of the plurality of first fluid flow events,

process the respective sequence of non-zero measurements by (i) identifying a value range of the plurality of value ranges to which a current measurement of the respective sequence of non-zero measurements belongs, and (ii) incrementing time counters of value ranges equal to or lower than the identified value range by a time increment equal to a time interval between the current measurement and a preceding measurement;

for each value range of the plurality of value ranges, (a) compare the respective time counter for the value range to the time duration threshold for the value range, and (b) responsive to determining that the time duration threshold for the value range is less than the respective time counter for the value range, update the respective time duration threshold for the value range to be equal to the respective time counter for the value range; and

reset, for each value range of the plurality of values ranges, the respective time counter to zero after processing the respective sequence of non-zero measurements.

8. The fluid flow meter of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to post-process the training flow duration pattern by incrementing each time duration threshold associated with a corresponding value range of the plurality of value ranges with a respective constant time value.

9. The fluid flow meter of claim 1, further comprising a communication interface for communicating with a remote computing device, the processor further configured to transmit an alert to the remote computing device responsive to detecting the leak event.

10. The fluid flow meter of claim 11, wherein the remote computing device includes a client application installed thereon for presenting alerts received from the fluid flow meter.

11. The fluid flow meter of claim 1, further comprising a shut-off valve for blocking fluid through the lumen, the processor further configured to actuate the shut-off valve responsive to detecting the leak event.

12. A method of detecting fluid leak events, the method comprising:

determining, by a fluid flow meter and using a plurality of first measurement signals generated during a training phase subsequent to installation of the fluid flow meter in a fluid distribution system, a corresponding plurality of first measurements of a fluid flow parameter and first timing information, the fluid flow parameter including fluid flow rate or fluid flow velocity, and the first timing information indicative of time intervals between consecutive first measurements;

identifying, by the fluid flow meter and using the plurality of first measurements, a plurality of first fluid flow events, each first fluid flow event representing a sequence of non-zero measurements of the plurality of first measurements;

generating, by the fluid flow meter and using the plurality of first measurements, the first timing information and the plurality of first fluid flow events, a training flow duration pattern indicative of, for each value range of a plurality of value ranges of the fluid flow parameter, a respective time duration threshold representing an estimate of a maximum time duration, within fluid flow events, of fluid flow parameter values associated with the value range;

determining, by the fluid flow meter and using a plurality of second measurement signals obtained during a detection phase subsequent to the training phase, a plurality of second measurements of the fluid flow parameter and second timing information, the second timing information indicative of time intervals between consecutive second measurements and the plurality of second measurements associated with a second fluid flow event representing a sequence of non-zero measurements;

determining, by the fluid flow meter and using the plurality of second measurements and the second timing information, for a first value range of the plurality of value ranges, a time duration for fluid flow associated with the first value range; and

detecting, by the fluid flow meter, a leak event based on a comparison of the time duration for the first value range to the time duration threshold for the first value range.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein generating the training flow duration pattern includes:

assigning, for each value range of the plurality of values ranges, a respective time counter;

for each first fluid flow event of the plurality of first fluid flow events,

processing the respective sequence of non-zero measurements by (i) identifying a value range of the plurality of value ranges to which a current measurement of the respective sequence of non-zero measurements belongs, and (ii) incrementing a time counter of the identified value range by a time increment equal to a time interval between the current measurement and a preceding measurement;

for each value range of the plurality of value ranges, (a) comparing the respective time counter for the value range to the time duration threshold for the value range, and (b) responsive to determining that the time duration threshold for the value range is less than the respective time counter for the value range, updating the respective time duration threshold for the value range to be equal to the respective time counter for the value range; and

resetting, for each value range of the plurality of values ranges, the respective time counter to zero after processing the respective sequence of non-zero measurements.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein incrementing the time counter for the identified value range further includes incrementing one or more other time counters associated with one or more other value ranges in the neighborhood of the identified value range by the time increment equal to the time interval between the current measurement and the previous measurement.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein generating the training flow duration includes:

assigning, for each value range of the plurality of values ranges, a respective time counter;

for each first fluid flow event of the plurality of first fluid flow events,

processing the respective sequence of non-zero measurements by (i) determining, for a current measurement, a maximum measurement of already processed measurements among the respective sequence of non-zero measurements, (ii) identifying a value range of the plurality of value ranges to which the maximum measurement belongs, and (iii) incrementing a respective time counter of the identified value range by a time increment equal to a time interval between the current measurement and a preceding measurement;

for each value range of the plurality of value ranges, (a) comparing the respective time counter for the value range to the time duration threshold for the value range, and (b) responsive to determining that the time duration threshold for the value range is less than the respective time counter for the value range, updating the respective time duration threshold for the value range to be equal to the respective time counter for the value range; and

resetting, for each value range of the plurality of values ranges, the respective time counter to zero after processing the respective sequence of non-zero measurements.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein incrementing the time counter for the identified value range further includes incrementing one or more other time counters associated with one or more other value ranges in the neighborhood of the identified value range by the time increment equal to the time interval between the current measurement and the previous measurement.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein generating the training flow duration pattern includes:

assigning, for each value range of the plurality of values ranges, a respective time counter;

for each first fluid flow event of the plurality of first fluid flow events,

processing the respective sequence of non-zero measurements by (i) identifying a value range of the plurality of value ranges to which a current measurement of the respective sequence of non-zero measurements belongs, and (ii) incrementing time counters of value ranges equal to or lower than the identified value range by a time increment equal to a time interval between the current measurement and a preceding measurement;

for each value range of the plurality of value ranges, (a) comparing the respective time counter for the value range to the time duration threshold for the value range, and (b) responsive to determining that the time duration threshold for the value range is less than the respective time counter for the value range, updating the respective time duration threshold for the value range to be equal to the respective time counter for the value range; and

resetting, for each value range of the plurality of values ranges, the respective time counter to zero after processing the respective sequence of non-zero measurements.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

post-processing the training flow duration pattern by incrementing each time duration threshold associated with a corresponding value range of the plurality of value ranges with a respective constant time value.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting an alert to a remote computing device responsive to detecting the leak event;

or

actuating a shut-off valve responsive to detecting the leak event.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer code instructions stored thereon, the computer code instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine, using a plurality of first measurement signals generated during a training phase subsequent to installation of a fluid flow meter in a fluid distribution system, a corresponding plurality of first measurements of a fluid flow parameter and first timing information, the fluid flow parameter including fluid flow rate or fluid flow velocity, and the first timing information indicative of time intervals between consecutive first measurements;

identify, using the plurality of first measurements, a plurality of first fluid flow events, each first fluid flow event representing a sequence of non-zero measurements of the plurality of first measurements;

generate, using the plurality of first measurements, the first timing information and the plurality of first fluid flow events, a training flow duration pattern indicative of, for each value range of a plurality of value ranges of the fluid flow parameter, a respective time duration threshold representing an estimate of a maximum time duration, within fluid flow events, of fluid flow parameter values associated with the value range;

determine, using a plurality of second measurement signals obtained during a detection phase subsequent to the training phase, a plurality of second measurements of the fluid flow parameter and second timing information, the second timing information indicative of time intervals between consecutive second measurements and the plurality of second measurements associated with a second fluid flow event representing a sequence of non-zero measurements of the plurality of second measurements;

determine, using the plurality of second measurements and the second timing information, for a first value range of the plurality of value ranges, a time duration for fluid flow associated with the first value range; and

detect, a leak event based on a comparison of the time duration for the first value range to the time duration threshold for the first value range.