Method and system for managing water usage

• US 9,429,453 B1
• Filed: 03/24/2015
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symmons Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symmons Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: O'Keeffe, Tim, Mercurio, Beth, Mendat, Christina, Catinella, Christopher, Clement, Ben, Mellits, Kirk, Hall, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Toan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ngo, Peter
• Application Number:
  US14/667,336
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 702/47
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/34 by measuring pressure or differential pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/68 by using thermal effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A water usage device for sensing, measuring, collecting, and transmitting water usage data to a remote processing device via a cloud-based communication network and a system for and a method of monitoring and managing water usage in commercial and residential settings that include scheduling preventive maintenance based on current and accumulated water usage data and historical data correlating water usage to repairs.

Claims

1. A water usage device disposable on a water supply line between a water supply source and a water delivery device, the water usage device comprising:

a memory for storing, during a water usage event, at least one of water usage, elapsed time of the water usage event, water pressure, and water temperature;

a first sensor for measuring, continuously and in real-time, a volumetric flow rate and providing measured volumetric flow rate data signals to a microprocessor for storage in the memory;

a second sensor for measuring the elapsed time of the water usage event and providing measured elapsed time data signals to the microprocessor for storage in the memory;

a third sensor for measuring, continuously and in real-time, the water temperature and providing measured water temperature data signals to the microprocessor for storage in the memory;

a display device for visually displaying, in real-time, at least one of water usage, the elapsed time of the water usage event, and water temperature; and

a microprocessor for communicating, by a transducer via a communications network, with a remote processor to upload measured water usage parameters adapted for use in a preventive maintenance scheduler structured and arranged for the purpose of scheduling preventive maintenance to address at least one of maintenance issues, maintenance problems, and a useful life of at least one of the water supply line and the water delivery device, wherein the transducer is configured to;

begin communicating water usage parameters when the elapsed time of the water usage event exceeds a preset limit, and

cease communicating water usage parameters after at least one of completion and interruption of the water usage event.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is selected from the group consisting of an ultrasonic device, a thermal dispersion device, a Venturi device, a turbine, and a paddlewheel.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is adapted to enable a user to pre-set within the memory at least one of a water usage limit, an allowable time of the water usage event, and a maximum water temperature during the water usage event.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the transducer communicates water usage parameters using a network protocol selected from the group consisting of radio frequency (RF), ANT+, BTLE, Z-Wave, 6LoWPAN, and WiFi.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the transducer enters a standby mode after at least one of completion or interruption of the water usage event.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is self-powered using water-flow power generation.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is further adapted to generate power.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further adapted to vary a mode of water delivery.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further adapted to provide an emergency cut-off of water flow during a water usage event.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further adapted to receive water usage data from at least one other microprocessor on another water usage device disposed in a common area with the water usage device.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the transducer is further adapted to transmit water usage data to another microprocessor on another water usage device disposed in a common area with the water usage device.

12. The device of claim 1 further comprising a fourth sensor for measuring, continuously and in real-time, water pressure and providing measured water pressure data signals to the microprocessor for storage in the memory.

13. A water usage monitoring and management system comprising:

a first plurality of water usage devices, each device disposable on a water supply line between a water supply source and a water delivery device;

a processing device, disposed remote from the first plurality of water usage devices, for receiving, via a communication network, water usage data from each of the water usage devices;

a data storage device for storing the water usage data; and

a preventive maintenance scheduler adapted to schedule preventive, proactive maintenance based on water usage data, wherein the preventive maintenance scheduler is adapted to;

receive historical preventive maintenance and repair data correlating water usage data to at least one of an historical maintenance issue and an historical maintenance repair for a plurality of water usage devices;

compare water usage data from the first plurality of water usage devices to the historical preventive maintenance and repair data; and

alert maintenance personnel to at least one of;

proactively replace at least one of a water usage device and a water supply line prior to a malfunction thereof, and

proactively perform preventive maintenance on at least one of a water usage device and a water supply line prior to a malfunction thereof, based at least in part on the comparison.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of water usage devices comprises:

a temperature measurement device;

a pressure measurement device;

at least one of a flow rate meter and a flow volume meter; and

a flow duration measurement device.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a water mixing device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each of the first plurality of water usage devices comprises a microprocessor that is adapted to control the water mixing device to make adjustments to at least one of water flow rate, water pressure, and water temperature during the water usage event.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein each of the first plurality of water usage devices comprises a microprocessor that is adapted to control the water mixing device to modify a mode of water delivery.

18. The system of claim 14 further comprising a plurality of edge routers, each router of the plurality of edge routers configured to communicate with a second plurality of water usage devices.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of edge routers is configured to communicate data from a corresponding second plurality of water usage devices to the remote processing device via the communication network.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of water usage devices comprises:

a memory for storing, during a water usage event, at least one of water usage, elapsed time of the water usage event, water pressure, and water temperature;

a microprocessor for communicating water usage data to the remote processing device for use by the preventive maintenance scheduler; and

a display device for visually displaying, in real-time, at least one of water usage, elapsed time of the water usage event, water pressure, and water temperature.

21. The water usage monitoring and management system of claim 20, wherein each of the water usage devices further comprises:

a first sensor for measuring, continuously and in real-time, volumetric flow rate providing measured volumetric flow rate data signals to the microprocessor for storage in the memory;

a second sensor for measuring the elapsed time of the water usage event and providing measured elapsed time data signals to the microprocessor for storage in the memory; and

a third sensor for measuring, continuously and in real-time, water temperature and providing measured water temperature data signals to the microprocessor for storage in the memory.

22. The system of claim 21 further comprising a fourth sensor for measuring, continuously and in real-time, water pressure and providing measured water pressure data signals to the microprocessor for storage in the memory.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the microprocessor is adapted to enable a user to pre-set within the memory at least one of a water usage limit, an allowable time of water usage event, a water pressure limit, and a water temperature limit.

24. A method of monitoring and managing water usage for a multiplicity of water usage devices, the method comprising:

receiving water usage data from each of the multiplicity of water usage devices;

receiving historical preventive maintenance and repair data correlating water usage data to at least one of an historical maintenance issue and an historical maintenance repair for a plurality of water usage devices;

comparing water usage data to the historical preventive maintenance and repair data;

alerting maintenance personnel to at least one of;

proactively replace at least one of a water usage device and a water supply line prior to a malfunction thereof, and

proactively perform preventive maintenance on at least one of a water usage device and a water supply line prior to a malfunction thereof, based at least in part on the comparison.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein water usage data includes at least one of water usage, water flow rate, elapsed time of the water usage event, water pressure, and water temperature.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising communicating water usage data to corresponding users and displaying at least one of water temperature data, water pressure data, water flow rate data, water usage, and elapsed time of the water usage event on a display device.

27. A system for monitoring and managing water usage for a multiplicity of water usage devices, the system comprising:

a preventive maintenance scheduler;

a programmable processing device; and

data storage for storing machine-readable instructions executable by the processing device, wherein, when executed, the instructions cause the processing device to;

receive water usage data from each of the multiplicity of water usage devices;

receive historical preventive maintenance and repair data correlating water usage data to at least one of an historical maintenance issue and an historical maintenance repair for a plurality of water usage devices;

compare water usage data to the historical preventive maintenance and repair data; and

alert maintenance personnel via the preventive maintenance scheduler to at least one of;

proactively replace at least one of a water usage device and a water supply line prior to a malfunction thereof, and

proactively perform preventive maintenance on at least one of a water usage device and a water supply line prior to a malfunction thereof based at least in part on the comparison.