Distributed, unattended wastewater monitoring system
First Claim
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1. A system for monitoring a flowing wastewater comprising:
- at least one flowmeter station installed in a sewer manhole, said at least one flowmeter station comprising a secondary element and a first wireless transmitter/receiver, and said sewer manhole having a cover,said first wireless transmitter/receiver being attached to said secondary element of each said at least one flowmeter station, having a first antenna, and being adapted to transmit and receive radio signals through said manhole cover, said signals being characterized by a first transmission power value, anda base station comprising a second wireless transmitter/receiver and a computer, said second wireless transmitter/receiver having a second antenna and being adapted to transmit and receive radio signals through said manhole cover, said signals being characterized by a second transmission power value,wherein said first and second transmission power values are selected from the group consisting ofat least 0.05 milliwatts when said cover has at least one standard hole, andat least 5 milliwatts when said cover is holeless.
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Abstract
A distributed, unattended wastewater monitoring system that uses advances in low-energy signal processing and distributed microelectromechanical systems and that involves wireless interrogation of distributed, low-power, normally-off sensors. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of flowmeter stations and at least one rain gauge station are networked through a base station for storm water discharge of infiltration-inflow monitoring. Wireless transceivers are used to transmit radio signals into and out of a sewer manhole.
126 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring a flowing wastewater comprising:
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at least one flowmeter station installed in a sewer manhole, said at least one flowmeter station comprising a secondary element and a first wireless transmitter/receiver, and said sewer manhole having a cover, said first wireless transmitter/receiver being attached to said secondary element of each said at least one flowmeter station, having a first antenna, and being adapted to transmit and receive radio signals through said manhole cover, said signals being characterized by a first transmission power value, and a base station comprising a second wireless transmitter/receiver and a computer, said second wireless transmitter/receiver having a second antenna and being adapted to transmit and receive radio signals through said manhole cover, said signals being characterized by a second transmission power value, wherein said first and second transmission power values are selected from the group consisting of at least 0.05 milliwatts when said cover has at least one standard hole, and at least 5 milliwatts when said cover is holeless. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for monitoring a flowing wastewater comprising:
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installing at least one flowmeter station in a sewer manhole, said at least one flowmeter station comprising a secondary element and a first wireless transmitter/receiver, and said sewer manhole having a cover, said first wireless transmitter/receiver being attached to said secondary element of each said at least one flowmeter station, having a first antenna, and being adapted to transmit and receive radio signals through said manhole cover, said signals being characterized by a first transmission power value, and providing a base station comprising a second wireless transmitter/receiver and a computer, said second wireless transmitter/receiver having a second antenna and being adapted to transmit and receive radio signals through said manhole cover, said signals being characterized by a second transmission power value, wherein said first and second transmission power values are selected from the group consisting of at least 0.05 milliwatts when said cover has at least one standard hole, and at least 5 milliwatts when said cover is holeless. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for monitoring a flowing wastewater comprising:
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at least one flowmeter station installed in a sewer manhole, said at least one flowmeter station comprising a secondary element and a first wireless transmitter/receiver, and said sewer manhole having a cover that is in place, said first wireless transmitter/receiver being attached to said secondary element of each said at least one flowmeter station, and having a first antenna, and a base station comprising a second wireless transmitter/receiver and a computer, said second wireless transmitter/receiver having a second antenna, wherein data are communicated between said flowmeter station and said base station by means of radio signals produced by said wireless transmitter/receivers. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A method for monitoring a flowing wastewater comprising:
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installing at least one flowmeter station in a sewer manhole, said at least one flowmeter station comprising a secondary element and a first wireless transmitter/receiver, said sewer manhole having a cover that is in place, said cover having a hole therein, said first wireless transmitter/receiver being attached to said secondary element of each said at least one flowmeter station, and having a first antenna, and providing a base station comprising a second wireless transmitter/receiver and a computer, said second wireless transmitter/receiver having a second antenna, wherein data are communicated between said flowmeter station and said base station by means of radio signals produced by said wireless transmitter/receivers. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification