SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FLUID FLOW METER INTEGRATED LEAK DETECTION
First Claim
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.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fluid flow meter comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of detecting fluid leak events, the method comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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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:
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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.
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Specification