Apparatus and method for monitoring sewer system operation

• US 7,075,425 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2001
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Environment One Corporation (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Environment One Corporation (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Capano, David, Salvi, Sharon G., Koegler, John H. Jr., Morrell, Elwood L. Jr., Antalek, William J., Henry, Clark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US09/977,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20020109592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 340/571, 340/603, 340/606, 340/607, 340/608, 340/611, 340/612, 340/614, 340/617, 340/626
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for monitoring a plurality of grinder pumps, and in particular, remotely over a communications network. Aspects of the invention include an alarm panel having a modular configuration, a modem board which allows use of a single telephone line and use by the homeowner in an emergency, the transmission of data over a high voltage AC line, and recharging of a sensing tube for measuring the level of wastewater in a tank.

Claims

1. A method for remotely monitoring for repair a plurality of grinder pump stations at a plurality of different first locations, the method comprising:

obtaining data regarding the plurality of grinder pump stations at the first locations;

transferring the data from the first locations via a communications network to a central computing unit at a second location different from the first locations; and

at least one of a) wherein the data comprises data regarding maintenance warnings predicting failure of at least one of the plurality of grinder pump stations prior to failure, and b) wherein the data comprises data regarding the operation of the plurality of grinder pump stations and further comprising determining, at the central computing unit maintenance warnings predicting failure of at least one of the plurality of grinder pump stations prior to failure.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the transferring comprises accessing the data at the first locations using the central computing unit.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the transferring comprises automatically transmitting the data from the first locations via the communications network to the central computing unit.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications network comprises a telephone line and further comprising allowing a homeowner use a telephone by overriding the transfer of data over the telephone line to the central computing unit.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising comparing an operating parameter of the plurality of grinder pump stations over time to determine the maintenance warnings predicting failure of the at least one of the plurality of grinder pump stations prior to failure.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising comparing an operating parameter of the plurality of grinder pump stations to a predetermined criteria to determine the maintenance warnings predicting failure of the at least one of the plurality of grinder pump stations prior to failure.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising repairing the at least one of the plurality of grinder pump stations in response to the maintenance warnings predicting failure of the at least one of the plurality of grinder pump stations prior to failure.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the data comprises data regarding the grinder pump.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the data comprises the data regarding maintenance warnings predicting failure of the at least one of the plurality of grinder pump stations prior to failure.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the data comprises the data regarding the operation of the plurality of grinder pump stations, and the determining, at the central computing unit maintenance warnings predicting failure of the at least one of the plurality of grinder pump stations prior to failure.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the data comprises the data regarding maintenance warnings predicting failure of the at least one of the plurality of grinder pump stations prior to failure, and the data regarding the operation of the plurality of grinder pump stations and the determining, at the central computing unit maintenance warnings predicting failure of at least one of the plurality of grinder pump stations prior to failure.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the obtaining data comprises:

modulating a voltage of an alternating current line at a first position to generate a series of pulses corresponding to the data;

detecting the series of pulses in the high voltage line at a second position different from the first position; and

determining the data at the second position based on the series of pulses.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the modulating comprises amplitude modulation.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the receiving the data at the first position comprises receiving data at a grinder pump, and the determining the data at the second position comprises determining the data at an alarm panel.