Fluid monitoring systems and methods with data communication to interested parties
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of monitoring fluid quality, comprising the steps of:
- distributing sensor units to different end user locations of fluid delivery other than municipal water treatment facilities using a pre-existing product distribution system, said different end user locations of fluid delivery being controlled by different entities, wherein the sensor units each include a sensor comprising multiple sensing elements that are disposed on a substrate, said sensor being configured to measure multiple different chemical species, and wherein the sensor units are configured to be installed at end user locations of fluid delivery other than municipal water treatment facilities in a fluid distribution system and are configured to generate fluid quality measures based on measurements, the sensor units being configured to establish communication with a data collection system;
receiving, at the data collection system, the fluid quality measures from sensor units installed at said end user locations of fluid delivery other than municipal water treatment facilities; and
communicating at least one of said fluid quality and fluid quality measures to interested parties other than said entities.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various sensor unit configurations are disclosed within the context of a fluid quality monitoring system. The distribution of sensor units can be accomplished using existing product distribution channels to sell, distribute and install sensor units so that a fluid distribution monitoring system can be established at relatively low cost, on a wider basis, and by locating sensor units at the most desirable location from problem detection standpoint, the location of the end user.
-
Citations
58 Claims
-
1. A method of monitoring fluid quality, comprising the steps of:
-
distributing sensor units to different end user locations of fluid delivery other than municipal water treatment facilities using a pre-existing product distribution system, said different end user locations of fluid delivery being controlled by different entities, wherein the sensor units each include a sensor comprising multiple sensing elements that are disposed on a substrate, said sensor being configured to measure multiple different chemical species, and wherein the sensor units are configured to be installed at end user locations of fluid delivery other than municipal water treatment facilities in a fluid distribution system and are configured to generate fluid quality measures based on measurements, the sensor units being configured to establish communication with a data collection system; receiving, at the data collection system, the fluid quality measures from sensor units installed at said end user locations of fluid delivery other than municipal water treatment facilities; and communicating at least one of said fluid quality and fluid quality measures to interested parties other than said entities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A system for monitoring fluid quality, comprising:
-
a pre-existing product distribution system used for additionally distributing sensor units to different end user locations of fluid delivery other than municipal water treatment facilities, said different end user locations of fluid delivery being controlled by different entities, wherein the sensor units each include a sensor comprising multiple sensing elements that are disposed on a substrate, said sensor being configured to measure multiple different chemical species, said sensor units being configured for installation at end user locations of fluid delivery other than municipal water treatment facilities in a fluid distribution system and being configured to generate fluid quality measures based on measurements; communication devices in the sensor units which establish communication between sensor units installed at said end user locations of fluid delivery other than municipal water treatment facilities and a data collection system for communicating the fluid quality measures to the data collection system; and a network for communicating at least one of said fluid quality and fluid quality measures to interested parties other than said entities. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A method of monitoring fluid quality, comprising the steps of:
-
communicating with sensor units located at different end user locations of fluid delivery other than municipal water treatment facilities, said different end user locations of fluid delivery being controlled by different entities, wherein the sensor units each include a sensor comprising multiple sensing elements that are disposed on a substrate, said sensor being configured to measure multiple different chemical species, wherein the sensor units are configured to be installed at end user locations of fluid delivery other than municipal water treatment facilities in a fluid distribution system, the sensor units being configured to establish communication with a data collection system and being configured to generate fluid quality measures based on measurements; receiving, at the data collection system, the fluid quality measures from sensor units installed at said end user locations of fluid delivery other than municipal water treatment facilities; and communicating at least one of said fluid quality and fluid quality measures to interested parties other than said entities. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
-
-
42. A system for monitoring water quality, comprising:
-
a plurality of sensor units configured to make water quality measurements, wherein the sensor units each include a sensor comprising multiple sensing elements that are disposed on a substrate, said sensor being configured to measure multiple different chemical species, the plurality of sensor units being located at different end user locations of water delivery of a water delivery system other than municipal water treatment facilities, said end user locations of water delivery being controlled by different entities; and a computer system configured to receive data corresponding to the water quality measurements from the plurality of sensor units, wherein the computer system is further configured to communicate at least one of said data and information generated from said data to interested parties other than said entities. - View Dependent Claims (43)
-
-
44. A method of monitoring water quality, comprising the steps of:
-
receiving with a computer system data corresponding to water quality measurements from a plurality of sensor units located at end user locations of water delivery other than municipal water treatment facilities, said end user locations of water delivery being controlled by different entities, wherein the sensor units each include a sensor comprising multiple sensing elements that are disposed on a substrate, said sensor being configured to measure multiple different chemical species, the sensor units being configured to establish communication with the computer system and being configured to generate the data corresponding to water quality measurements; and communicating at least one of said data and information generated from said data to interested parties other than said entities. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47)
-
-
48. A method of monitoring water quality, comprising the steps of:
-
distributing sensor units to different end user locations of water delivery controlled by different entities, wherein the sensor units each include a sensor comprising multiple sensing elements that are disposed on a substrate, said sensor being configured to measure multiple different chemical species, wherein the sensor units are configured to be installed at end user locations of water delivery in a water distribution system and are configured to generate water quality measures based on measurements, the sensor units being configured to establish communication with a data collection system, wherein said end user locations include residences or businesses; receiving, at the data collection system, the water quality measures from sensor units installed at said end user locations of water delivery; and communicating at least one of said water quality measures and information derived therefrom to interested parties other than said entities. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
-
-
51. A system for monitoring water quality, comprising:
-
a pre-existing product distribution system used for additionally distributing sensor units to different end user locations of water delivery controlled by different entities, said end user locations including residences or businesses, wherein the sensor units each include a sensor comprising multiple sensing elements that are disposed on a substrate, said sensor being configured to measure multiple different chemical species, said sensor units being configured for installation at end user locations of water delivery in a water distribution system and being configured to generate water quality measures based on measurements; communication devices in the sensor units which establish communication between sensor units installed at said end user locations of water delivery and a data collection system for communicating the water quality measures to the data collection system; and a network for communicating at least one of said water quality measures and information derived therefrom to interested parties other than said entities.
-
-
52. A method of monitoring water quality, comprising the steps of:
-
communicating with sensor units at different end user locations of water delivery controlled by different entities, said end user locations including residences or businesses, wherein the sensor units each include a sensor comprising multiple sensing elements that are disposed on a substrate, said sensor being configured to measure multiple different chemical species, wherein the sensor units are configured to be installed at end user locations of water delivery in a water distribution system, the sensor units being configured to establish communication with a data collection system and being configured to generate water quality measures based on measurements; receiving, at the data collection system, the water quality measures from sensor units installed at said end user locations of water delivery; and communicating at least one of said water quality measures and information derived therefrom to interested parties other than said entities. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54)
-
-
55. A system for monitoring water quality, comprising:
-
a plurality of sensor units configured to make water quality measurements, wherein the sensor units each include a sensor comprising multiple sensing elements that are disposed on a substrate, said sensor being configured to measure multiple different chemical species, the plurality of sensor units being located at different end user locations of water delivery of a water delivery system, said end user locations being controlled by different entities, and said end user locations including residences or businesses; and a computer system configured to receive data corresponding to the water quality measurements from the plurality of sensor units, wherein the computer system is further configured to communicate at least one of said data and information generated from said data to interested parties other than said entities.
-
-
56. A method of monitoring water quality, comprising the steps of:
-
receiving with a computer system data corresponding to water quality measurements from a plurality of sensor units located at end user locations of water delivery controlled by different entities, said end user locations including residences or businesses, wherein the sensor units each include a sensor comprising multiple sensing elements that are disposed on a substrate, said sensor being configured to measure multiple different chemical species, the sensor units being configured to establish communication with the computer system and being configured to generate the data corresponding to water quality measurements; and communicating at least one of said data and information generated from said data to interested parties other than said entities. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58)
-
Specification