Gas shut-off valve with feedback
First Claim
1. An advanced meter reading system for transmitting between user locations and a centralized data collection facility data and commands related to utility usage and utility supply connections, said system comprising:
- a plurality of utility metrology means and associated endpoint devices, situated at respective locations of utility consumption, for bidirectional communications for transmitting utility consumption data associated with a respective location and for receiving commands thereto;
at least one remotely controllable valve means, associated with at least one of said utility metrology means and its associated endpoint device, for alternately closing and opening the flow of a utility supply associated with said at least one utility metrology means at its respective location in response to command signals transmitted to its associated endpoint device, said valve means including feedback means for transmitting data regarding the status of said valve means;
a main communications network for bidirectional communications with said endpoint devices; and
a head end processor for bidirectional communications with said main communications network, such that utility consumption data and valve status data are communicated with said head end processor via said main communications network,wherein said at least one remotely controllable valve means includes a stepper motor driven valve, and said feedback means includes an optical sensor associated with said stepper motor driven valve for counting turns of its associated stepper motor and providing an output of such counts to its associated endpoint by which the status of such associated valve means can be tracked and reported.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are apparatus and methodology for providing a feedback mechanism to a system operator that provides a positive indication of the position of a valve which controls gas flow to a consumer. Rotation of a stepper motor controlling a valve mechanism is optically monitored and a feedback signal is sent to the system operator indicating positive operation of the valve only when a selected number of rotations of the stepper motor is reported. The stepper motor may be operated in different modes, each associated with different nominal current consumption levels. In a higher current consumption mode, such as a torque-oriented mode, the stepper motor may be stepped a few additional steps after valve closure to ensure seating of the valve.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An advanced meter reading system for transmitting between user locations and a centralized data collection facility data and commands related to utility usage and utility supply connections, said system comprising:
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a plurality of utility metrology means and associated endpoint devices, situated at respective locations of utility consumption, for bidirectional communications for transmitting utility consumption data associated with a respective location and for receiving commands thereto; at least one remotely controllable valve means, associated with at least one of said utility metrology means and its associated endpoint device, for alternately closing and opening the flow of a utility supply associated with said at least one utility metrology means at its respective location in response to command signals transmitted to its associated endpoint device, said valve means including feedback means for transmitting data regarding the status of said valve means; a main communications network for bidirectional communications with said endpoint devices; and a head end processor for bidirectional communications with said main communications network, such that utility consumption data and valve status data are communicated with said head end processor via said main communications network, wherein said at least one remotely controllable valve means includes a stepper motor driven valve, and said feedback means includes an optical sensor associated with said stepper motor driven valve for counting turns of its associated stepper motor and providing an output of such counts to its associated endpoint by which the status of such associated valve means can be tracked and reported. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A bidirectional gas AMI network for transmitting commands and gas supply related data between user locations and a centralized data collection facility, said network comprising:
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a plurality of combined gas metrology/endpoint devices for obtaining and transmitting gas usage data associated with its respective location, said endpoint devices providing bidirectional RF communications from its respective location; a plurality of remotely controllable valve means, associated with at least selected of said utility metrology means and associated endpoint devices, for alternately closing and opening gas supply associated with said selected utility metrology means at its respective location in response to command signals transmitted thereto, said valve means respectively including feedback means for transmitting data regarding the status of such valve means at a given location thereof; a main communications network for bidirectional communications with said endpoint devices; a mobile device in RF communication with other components of said system, for controllably receiving gas supply related data and valve status data, and for selectively sending command signals to said valve means at a respective location thereof; a centralized data collection facility in bidirectional communications with said main communications network, such that gas supply related data, valve status data, and command signals are communicated with said centralized data collection facility via said main communications network; wherein said plurality of remotely controllable valve means is configured to be driven by a stepper motor for selectively driving its associated controllable valve; and wherein said feedback means is an optical sensor for counting turns of its associated stepper motor and providing an output of such counts to its associated endpoint. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A method for gathering data for monitoring gas consumption and gas supply conditions associated with selected locations along a gas pipeline of a gas utility provider, such method comprising:
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transmitting gas consumption data from a plurality of endpoint devices associated with respective locations of gas utility usage; communicating such data to a central location via a main communications network; providing controllable shut-off valves at selected locations of gas utility usage, associated with respective endpoints, and responsive to control signals transmitted thereto via such associated endpoints for valve activation to change between respective opened and closed positions thereof; and monitoring the positioning of the shut-off valves and providing feedback thereon to the central location via the main communications network, whereby positive feedback on completion of valve activations can be monitored and centrally reported to a gas utility provider; wherein such valve activation includes selectively driving a stepper motor associated with a gas pipeline inline valve, for controllably opening or closing such valve as commanded by a control signal, and such providing feedback includes sensing and counting revolutions of such stepper motor. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification