Flow measurement apparatus and program thereof, flow measurement method and fluid supply system

• US 8,265,887 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2008
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Itou, Youichi, Miyata, Hajime, Umekage, Yasuhiro, Kamon, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Charioui, Mohamed
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ngon, Ricky
• Application Number:
  US12/523,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20100017150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: 702/33, 702/45, 702/46, 702/50, 702/55, 702/100, 702/182, 702/183, 73/10.2, 73/190.4, 73/191, 73/232.4, 73/530.1, 73/530.4, 738/61, 731/95, 731/96, 735/21
• US Class Current: 702/45
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/66 by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/667 Arrangements of transducers for ultrasonic flowmeters; Circuits for operating ultrasonic flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/007 comprising means to prevent fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/0755 involving digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2807 for pipes G01M3/2892, G01M3/30 take precedence

Abstract

A fluid measurement apparatus capable of accurately determining an activated appliance is provided. A flow measurement apparatus 100 has a flow measurement unit 12 that measures an amount of fluid flowing through a passageway, a determination zone storage unit 16 that allocates and stores a flow measured by the flow measurement unit 12 into determination zones classified by combination of a plurality of conditions; a grouping unit 18 that groups determination zones according to appliances to be used on the basis of determination-zone-specific storage values stored in the determination zone storage unit 16 and that registers the grouped determination zones; and an integration unit 20 that integrates a flow value for each of the determination zones registered by the grouping unit 18. Thus, a flow is integrated for each determination zone grouped according to an appliance. An appliance is determined by reference to a database including the integrated data.

Claims

1. A flow measurement apparatus comprising:

a flow measurement unit that measures an amount of fluid flowing through a passageway;

a determination zone setting unit that, using a first condition, classifies flow information measured by the flow measurement unit and set the classified flow information as into determination zones;

a determination zone storage unit that stores zone information regarding the respective determination zones;

a determination zone decision unit that, on the basis of the zone information stored in the determination zone storage unit, sorts a flow value measured by the flow measurement unit or the number of occurrences of the flow value into a determination zone;

a grouping unit that, using a second condition, groups entries in the determination zones which are stored in the determination zone storage unit, and registers the determination zones; and

an integration unit that integrates the flow value or the number of occurrences of the flow value.

2. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the integration unit integrates, for each determination zone, the flow value or the number of occurrences of the flow value.

3. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the grouping unit groups the flow value or the number of occurrences of the flow value integrated by the integration unit.

4. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conditions are a combination of a plurality of conditions.

5. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination zone storage unit stores the zone information which was classified under the second condition by the determination zone setting unit for a previously-set predetermined learning period.

6. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the grouping unit registers the determination zones, using the second condition, on the basis of entries which were stored in the determination zone storage unit for the learning period, and registers a corresponding appliance for each registered determination zone.

7. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 6, wherein after the learning period, the integration unit integrates, for each registered determination zone a flow value or the number of occurrences of the flow value measured by the flow measurement unit, and performs separate processing regarding use of an appliance which is not registered or occurrence of a leakage, when integration of a flow value is performed in connection with a determination zone which is not registered.

8. An appliance determination system comprising the flow measurement apparatus defined in claim 7, the system further comprising an appliance determination unit that inputs an output from the grouping unit or the integration unit into a database in which reference data is stored, and determines an appliance which uses the fluid, use of an appliance which is not registered or occurrence of a leakage.

9. The appliance determination system according to claim 8, wherein the database is a rewritable database that is attached to the flow measurement apparatus.

10. The appliance determination system according to claim 8, wherein the database is connected to the flow measurement apparatus via a communication line.

11. The appliance determination system according to claim 8, wherein the database is connectable to a collection terminal connected to the flow measurement apparatus.

12. The appliance determination system according to claim 8, wherein

the database stores, as reference data, previously-measured waveform data pertaining to individual appliances;

and

the appliance determination unit compares the reference data with an output from the integration unit or the grouping unit, thereby determining which appliance is using the fluid.

13. The appliance determination system according to claim 8, wherein

the database is configured to store operation conditions of individual households;

and

the appliance determination unit compares determination criteria of an individual household with an output from the integration unit on the basis of the reference data and the operation condition, thereby determining which appliance is using the fluid.

14. A flow measurement apparatus comprising:

a flow measurement unit that measures an instantaneous amount of fluid flowing through a passageway;

a determination zone setting unit that has a first determination zone classification condition for classifying and setting a flow waveform observed during activation of an appliance, a second determination zone classification condition for classifying and setting a flow value observed during activation of an appliance, and a third determination zone classification condition for classifying and setting a time interval of operation of an appliance and that creates determination zones in a matrix pattern which combines the determination zone classification conditions;

a determination zone storage unit that allocates the flow measured by the flow measurement unit to one of the determination zones classified by the determination zone setting unit and stores a number of occurrences of the flow in the one determination zone;

a clock unit that measures a learning period during which processing for allocating the measured flow to the determination zone storage unit is performed;

a grouping unit that registers a determination zone for use in determining an appliance, based on a number of occurrences of the flow allocated to the determination zone stored in the determination zone storage unit during the learning period measured by the clock unit and that performs grouping by associating an appliance with each registered determination zone;

a determination zone decision unit that determines, after grouping, whether or not the flow measured by the flow measurement unit conforms to any registered determination zone;

an integration unit that integrates a flow value for a registered determination zone when the determination zone decision unit determines that the flow conforms to the registered determination zone; and

a determination zone update unit that performs registration determination zone update processing when the determination zone decision unit determines that the flow does not conform to any registered determination zone.

15. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the determination zone setting unit has a learning unit that performs measurement for a predetermined period, using registered flow value classifications classified under the second determination zone classification condition and that changes the flow value classifications classified under the second determination zone classification condition to optimum flow value classification after the measurement performed for the predetermined period.

16. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the determination zone setting unit has a learning unit that performs measurement for a predetermined period, using registered time classifications classified under the third determination zone classification condition and that changes the registered time classifications classified under the third determination zone classification condition to optimum time classification after the measurement performed for the predetermined period.

17. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the determination zone setting unit has a learning unit that automatically changes flow value classifications and time classifications to optimum classifications when an operation record storage pattern based on initially-created determination zones cannot be grouped in correspondence with a number of registered appliances.

18. A flow measurement apparatus comprising:

a flow measurement unit that measures an amount of fluid flowing through a passageway;

a flow information storage unit for storing object data that describe, in an associating manner, a flow value measured by the flow measurement unit and a measurement time during which the flow value is measured; and

an object data classification unit that takes first object data stored in the flow information storage unit as reference data and that classifies second object data into respective reference data groups on the basis of a characteristic value showing relevance between a measured flow value of the second object data and a flow value of the reference data.

19. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the object data classification unit uses, as the characteristic value, a coefficient of correlation between the measured flow value of the second object data and a flow value of the reference data.

20. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the object data classification unit uses, as the characteristic value, the correlation coefficient and a flow value of the reference data.

21. A flow measurement apparatus comprising:

a flow measurement unit that measures an amount of fluid flowing through a passageway;

a flow information storage unit for storing object data that describe, in an associating manner, a flow value measured by the flow measurement unit and a measurement time during which the flow value is measured; and

an object data classification unit that takes first object data stored in the flow information storage unit as reference data and that classifies second object data into respective reference data groups on the basis of a plurality of characteristic values showing relevance between a plurality of measured flow values of the second object data and a plurality of flow values of the reference data corresponding to times during which the plurality of flow values are measured.

22. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the object data classification unit uses, as the characteristic value, a coefficient of correlation between the measured flow value of the second object data and a flow value of the reference data.

23. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the object data classification unit uses, as the characteristic value, the correlation coefficient and a flow value of the reference data.

24. A flow measurement method comprising computer executable steps executed by a flow measurement apparatus to implement:

a step of measuring an amount of fluid flowing through a passageway;

a step of storing object data that describe, in an associating manner, a flow value measured and a measurement time during which the flow value is measured; and

a step of taking first object data stored as reference data and classifying second object data into respective reference data groups on the basis of a characteristic value showing relevance between a measured flow value of the second object data and a flow value of the reference data.

25. A flow measurement method comprising computer executable steps executed by a flow measurement apparatus to implement:

a step of measuring an amount of fluid flowing through a passageway;

a step of storing object data that describe, in an associating manner, a flow value measured and a measurement time during which the flow value is measured; and

a step of taking first object data stored as reference data and classifying second object data into respective reference data groups on the basis of a plurality of characteristic values showing relevance between a plurality of measured flow values of the second object data and a plurality of flow values of the reference data.

26. A non-transitory storage medium storing programs for causing a flow measurement apparatus to perform processing pertaining to

a step of measuring an amount of fluid flowing through a passageway;

a step of storing object data that describe, in an associating manner, a flow value measured and a measurement time during which the flow value is measured; and

a step of taking first object data stored as reference data and classifying second object data into respective reference data groups on the basis of a plurality of characteristic values showing relevance between a plurality of measured flow values of the second object data and a plurality of flow values of the reference data.

27. A non-transitory storage medium storing programs for causing a flow measurement apparatus to perform processing pertaining to

a step of measuring an amount of fluid flowing through a passageway;

a step of storing object data that describe, in an associating manner, a flow value measured and a measurement time during which the flow value is measured; and

a step of taking first object data stored as reference data and classifying second object data into respective reference data groups on the basis of a characteristic value showing relevance between a measured flow value of the second object data and a flow value of the reference data.

28. A flow measurement apparatus comprising:

a flow measurement unit that measures flow rates of fluid flowing through a passage to which at least one appliance is connected;

a determination zone setting unit that defines a set of attributes identifiable in a profile of flow rates and a set of parameters representative of each attribute and indicative, respectively, of different classes of each attribute;

a determination zone storage unit that presents memory areas each defined by a different combination of single parameters selected, respectively, from the parameter sets;

a determination zone decision unit that analyzes a profile of flow rates measured by the flow measurement unit and makes an entry in a memory area of the determination zone storage if the profile of the measured flow rates is accountable by a combination of parameters which defines the memory area; and

a grouping unit that divides the memory areas into groups according to distributions of the entries over the memory areas.

29. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 28, wherein making an entry in a memory area comprises incrementing a number stored in the memory area, and the number stored in the memory area indicates a number of times flow rates are observed which form profiles accountable by a particular combination of parameters which defines the memory area.

30. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 28, wherein making an entry in a memory area comprises adding an amount of fluid calculated to have flown to a number stored in the memory area, and the number stored in the memory area indicates a total amount of fluid having flown with profiles of flow rates accountable by a particular combination of parameters which defines the memory area.

31. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the attributes comprise a shape of a profile exhibited upon activation of an appliance, an amount of fluid flowing during activation of an appliance and a time interval an appliance is operated.

32. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the grouping unit divides the memory areas into groups based on entries made for a learning period.

33. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising an appliance determination unit that correlates an appliance with a group of memory areas when a profile of flow rates exhibited by the appliance is accountable by combinations of parameters defining the group of memory areas.

34. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising a determination zone updating unit that resets the memory areas and makes new entries in the memory areas if the determination zone decision unit finds a profile of measured flow rates which does not belong to any of the groups of the memory areas, wherein the grouping unit divides the memory areas into new groups according to distributions of the new entries over the memory areas.

35. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 34, further comprising an appliance determination unit that determines there is a fluid leak if the determination zone decision unit finds a profile of measured flow rates which does not belong to any of the new groups of the memory areas.

36. The flow measurement apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising a learning unit which redefines some of the parameters if the entries are discriminately distributed over the memory areas.

37. An appliance determination system comprising:

the flow measurement apparatus defined in claim 28;

a database that stores exemplary profiles of flow rates exhibited by appliances; and

a determination unit that compares the exemplary profiles stored in the database with combinations of parameters defining the groups of memory areas and correlates the groups of memory areas, respectively, with the appliances.

38. The appliance determination system according to claim 37, wherein the database is connected directly to the flow measurement apparatus.

39. The appliance determination system according to claim 37, wherein the database is connected to the flow measurement apparatus via a communication line.

40. The appliance determination system according to claim 37, wherein the database further stores appliance operation information of individual households, and the determination unit uses the appliance operation information when correlating the groups of memory areas, respectively, with the appliances.

41. A flow measurement apparatus comprising:

a flow measurement unit that measures at intervals a flow rate of fluid flowing through a passageway to which at least one appliance is connected;

a flow information storage unit in which object data indicative of a profile of measured flow rates is storable in relation to measurement times during which the flow rates were measured;

a reference data group storage unit that stores reference data in sets each indicative of a different exemplary profile of flow rates, wherein the reference data sets are each correlatable with a different group of appliances; and

an object data classification unit that determines a relevance between the profile of the object data and the exemplary profile of the respective sets of reference data and stores at least part of the object data as a new set of reference data in the reference data group storage unit if none of the determined relevances satisfies a predetermined level of relevance, while if a set of reference data is found which satisfies the predetermined level of relevance, identifying the measured flow rates as being exhibited by an appliance which belongs to a group of appliances correlated with the found set of reference data.