Method and apparatus for metering building structures

• US 5,986,573 A
• Filed: 11/19/1996
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Water Savers Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Water Savers Incorporated
• Inventors: Franklin, Mark Terrance, McGregor, John Elwood III
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, Jr., Timothy
• Application Number:
  US08/746,910
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 340/606, 340/870.02, 340/870.03, 340/870.11, 73/195, 137/552, 137/555, 137/624.11, 137/624.12, 705/412, 705/413
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/05 by using mechanical effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/005 Valves valves in general F16K
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/0755 involving digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8175 Plural

Abstract

A method and apparatus for metering building structures having a plurality of service outlets each having control valves, includes the installing of meters within a given distance from each one of the valves. A transmission system is coupled electrically to each one of the meters for sending meter readings periodically to a remotely located equipment.

Claims

1. A method of metering fluid consumption flow in a building structure having a plurality of units, having a plurality of discharge service outlets for dispensing fluids therefrom, the method comprising:

identifying each of the service outlets to be metered in the building structure;

using an individual control valve for each service/outlet;

using a plurality of meters associated individually with said service outlets all disposed within a single unit of said building each meter constructed to monitor the fluid flow from individual ones of the service outlets to be metered so that the fluid discharge consumption at each service outlet is measured;

installing the provided single meter within a given distance from one of the valves for the discharge service outlet to be metered so that the fluid being discharged from its the service outlet is indicated by a meter reading, the meter reading being indicative of the fluid consumed at the service outlet;

electronically sending meter readings indicative of the fluid consumed at each metered discharge service outlet periodically to a remote location; and

determining a total consumption of fluid for each unit by accumulating electronically the meter readings received from the plurality of service outlets being metered within said unit of the building structure, responsive to receiving the meter readings remotely therefrom.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the meters are each installed upstream of their valves, and wherein said given distance is up to one foot upstream from a given valve.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the meters are each installed adjacent to their valves.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the meters are each installed downstream of their valves, and said distance is equal to the length of the flow between individual valves and their outlets.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the meters are each installed adjacent to their valves.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein the meters are each installed individually at their outlets.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the meters are each installed individually respectively intermediate the valves and their outlets controlled thereby.

8. An apparatus for metering a structural unit of a building, the structural unit having a fluid supply pipe providing a plurality of discharge service outlets within the unit, each service outlet having a single individual control valve therefor, comprising:

a group of meters associated individually with said service outlets all disposed within the single unit of the building, each single meter constructed to monitor fluid flowing from a corresponding single discharge service outlet and to provide a reading indicative of the fluid discharged from its individual service outlet;

means for installing the meters within the unit wherein only a single meter is installed within a given distance from one of the valves so that the meter provides the meter reading indicative of the fluid discharged from its service outlet;

means for sending meter readings indicative of fluid consumed at each metered service outlet remotely therefrom; and

means for determining a total consumption of fluid for the unit by accumulating the meter readings from the plurality of service outlets within the unit responsive to receiving the meter readings remotely.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the meters are each installed upstream of their valves, and wherein said given distance is up to one foot upstream from a given value.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the meters are each installed adjacent to their valves.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the meters are each installed downstream of their valves, and said distance is equal to the length of the flow between individual valves and their outlets.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the meters are each installed adjacent to their valves.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the meter is installed at the outlet.

14. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the meters are each installed individually respectively intermediate the valves and their outlets controlled thereby.

15. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the meter is installed upstream of the valve at a common supply line for a plurality of units within the building structure, further including another meter being installed upstream of the first-mentioned meter at the common supply line;

means for determining the difference between the readings of the two meters to determine the quantity of fluid flowing through the first-mentioned meter.

16. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the electrical transmission means comprise wireless transmission.

17. A method for determining the quantity of utility fluid discharge consumption for each of a plurality of structural units where each structural unit is within a single building, and a fluid supply line in the building distributes the fluid to more than one structural unit, each structural unit having a plurality of service discharge outlets, comprising:

identifying the discharge service outlets to be monitored in each structural unit, each discharge service outlet providing an outlet for consuming an amount of utility fluid;

installing a plurality of meters associated individually with said service outlets all disposed within a single unit of said building, each meter being constructed and installed to monitor the fluid discharged from its single service outlet;

generating service outlet meter readings, each meter reading being indicative of the quantity of fluid discharged from its single service outlet;

sending the meter readings indicative of fluid discharged from each metered service outlet therefrom; and

determining a consumption of discharged fluid for the plurality of service outlets within said unit being monitored responsive to receiving the meter readings remotely.

18. A method according to claim 17 further including:

metering each service outlet to monitor the fluid being discharged from each service outlet;

generating a signal indicative of the quantity of fluid being discharged from each service outlet electronically;

sending the signals electronically to remote equipment;

determining the quantity of fluid discharged from each metered service outlet; and

prorating a utility cost to the structural units in proportion to the quantity of fluid discharged from metered service outlets allocated to each unit.

19. The system according to claim 18 where the fluid is gas.

20. The system according to claim 18 where the fluid is water.

21. A system for determining fluid discharge where a supply pipe is installed within a building unit and a plurality of stub out pipes extend from the supply pipe within the building and including a plurality of discharge service outlets each being individually associated with individual ones of the stub out pipes, each stub out pipe supplying the fluid to its discharge service outlet, comprising:

a group of meters associated individually with said service outlets all disposed within a single building unit, where each meter is constructed for measuring a fluid flow through a stub out pipe and discharged from an individual discharge service outlet;

means for coupling a single one of the meters to each of the stub out pipes so that each of the meters measures the fluid discharge through each stub out pipe;

means for generating a signal indicative of the measured fluid discharge;

remote equipment responsive to at least one generated signal for determining the utility fluid discharge consumption for the plurality of service outlets within said unit; and

means for sending electronically the generated signal from the meter to the remote equipment.

22. A system to determine water discharge consumption in a building, the building having a water supply pipe with a sink feed pipe providing water to a sink and a toilet feed pipe providing water to a toilet, comprising:

a sink meter coupled to the sink feed pipe for determining the quantity of water discharged into the sink and providing a sink flow signal indicative of the quantity of water discharged into the sink;

a toilet meter coupled to the toilet feed pipe for determining the quantity of water discharged into the toilet and providing a toilet flow signal indicative of the quantity of water discharged into the toilet;

a processor receiving the sink flow signal and the toilet flow signal and generating a signal indicative of the water consumption of the sink and toilet; and

means for sending electronically the flow signals from the meters to the remote processor.