Water management system

• US 6,101,451 A
• Filed: 02/23/1998
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wellspring Wireless Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Computer Management Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Wade W., Saar, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, HIEN XUAN
• Application Number:
  US09/027,574
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 702/54, 702/45, 702/130, 702/55, 73/861.77, 73/861.79, 73/53.04, 73/54.07, 137/1, 137/552, 340/870.11, 340/870.02, 340/870.05, 340/870.17
• US Class Current: 702/55
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 17/06 Measuring quantity of heat conveyed by flowing media, e.g. in heating systems G01K17/02, G01K17/04 take precedencee.g. the quantity of heat in a transporting medium, delivered to or consumed in an expenditure device

Abstract

A system for monitoring the use of water supplied by a pipe to a device that discharges water during use. A meter generates information indicating that water is flowing through the pipe with a measured BTU content and a control receives the information and determines that either the water is flowing through the pipe or that water has stopped flowing through the pipe. An event counter counts events defined by the flow of water through the pipe followed by the stoppage of water flow in the pipe for at least a predetermined duration of time, and a volume counter counts volumetric flow (gallons of flow, for example) and energy content (therms of energy, for example). Where the meter can be interfered with by attaching a magnet to the meter a tamper signal is also generated. With this data, misoperation of the devices can be indicated.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the use of water supplied by a pipe to a device that discharge water during use comprising

a meter for generating information indicating that water is flowing through the pipe,

a computer for receiving said information and determining that the water is flowing through the pipe and that water has stopped flowing through the pipe,

said computer further including

an event counter,

means for identifying an event defined by the flow of water through the pipe followed by the stoppage of water flow in the pipe for at least a predetermined duration of time, and

means for updating said event counter when an event is identified.

2. A system for monitoring the use of water in a device that discharges water during use according to claim 1, further comprising means for comparing the actual number of events counted in a selected period of time with a predetermined event range for that selected period of time and issuing a signal indicating that said actual number of events falls outside of said predetermined events range.

3. A system for monitoring the use of water in a device that discharges water during use according to claim 2, wherein said signal indicates that the water using device is operating improperly.

4. A system for monitoring the use of water in a device that discharges water during use according to claim 1, further comprising means for computing

the volume of water discharged from the water using device during a selected period of time,

the number of events that have occurred during said selected period of time, and

the actual volume of water discharged from the water using device per event.

5. A system for monitoring the use of water in a device that discharges water during use according to claim 4, further comprising means for comparing the actual volume of water discharged from the water using device per event with an ideal range of volume of water discharged from the water using device per event and issuing a signal in the event the actual volume of water discharged from the water using device per event falls outside of the ideal range of volume of water discharged from the water using device per event.

6. A system for monitoring the use of water in a device that discharges water during use according to claim 1, wherein said device is a shower head which drains after use and wherein said control further comprises means for computing

the volume of water discharged from the water using device during a selected period of time from said data generated by said meter,

the number of events that have occurred during said selected period of time, and

a correction for the computed volume of water by multiplying said total number of events by an empirically set value.

7. A system for monitoring the use of water in a device that discharges water during use comprising

a meter for generating information indicating that water is flowing through the pipe including a rotatable device having a metallic target and a sensor for sensing said metallic target as it rotates past said sensor,

a computer for receiving said information and determining that the water is flowing through the water pipe and that water has stopped flowing through the water pipe,

means for supplying said computer with a tamper signal in the event a magnet is secured to said meter to stop the operation of said meter including a computer input line having a magnetically operable reed switch.

8. A system for monitoring the use of water supplied by at least one pipe to one or more devices that discharge water during use in an apartment unit comprising

a meter for each of said pipes for generating information indicating that water is flowing through the pipe,

means for determining the total volume of water which has flowed through said at least one pipe,

means for determining the BTU content of said determined total volume of water, and

means for computing the hot water temperature of said BTU content and comparing the computed temperature to a user defined limit and issuing an alarm if the actual temperature exceeds the user defined limit.