Alarming based on resource consumption data

• US 9,441,987 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Cornwall, Mark K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barakat, Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US13/243,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20120326884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,817 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.02, 700/282, 73/40
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 3/01 for controlling, signalling, or supervising the conveyance of a product
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 5/02 Preventing, monitoring, or locating loss
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/22 Arrangements for detecting or reporting faults, outages or leaks
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/00 Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use
• 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

Consumption data of utility resources such as gas and water may be used to detect conditions that, left unchecked, may lead to a natural gas explosion, flood, or other event. A data collection device may be configured to monitor consumption of a resource through a utility meter at a location in substantially real time. The data collection device may detect abnormal consumption of the resource at the location, and transmit an alert indicating the abnormal consumption of the resource to a remote computing device. The data collection device may additionally initiate a mitigating action to prevent an event based on the abnormal resource consumption.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a data collection device, configure the one or more processors of the data collection device to perform acts comprising:

monitoring a flow rate of natural gas through a utility meter at a location in substantially real time;

detecting abnormal consumption of the natural gas at the location based on the flow rate through the utility meter by;

determining that the flow rate of the natural gas exceeds a predetermined threshold consumption rate for a predetermined threshold amount of time, the predetermined threshold consumption rate varying over time, the predetermined threshold consumption rate including a first threshold consumption rate at a first time during the predetermined threshold amount of time and including a second threshold consumption rate at a second time during the predetermined threshold amount of time, at least one of the first threshold consumption rate or the second threshold consumption rate being based on at least one of a time of year, a current temperature, or an occupancy status; and

comparing the flow of the natural gas with one or more predetermined normal consumption patterns, the one or more predetermined normal consumption patterns being based at least in part on;

average natural gas consumption for other locations similarly situated to the location;

or

average natural gas consumption by other customers similarly situated to a customer currently associated with the utility meter;

determining that an amount of abnormal consumption of the natural gas is sufficient to cause an explosion or fire;

determining, based on the flow rate, that the abnormal consumption occurs on a customer side of the utility meter; and

transmitting an alert indicating the abnormal consumption of the natural gas to a remote computing device.

2. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the one or more predetermined normal consumption patterns further being based at least in part on:

historical natural gas consumption through the utility meter; and

/or

historical natural gas consumption by the customer currently associated with the utility meter.

3. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the alert is transmitted periodically or continuously.

4. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the alert is transmitted more frequently and/or with a higher importance than consumption data is otherwise transmitted by the data collection device.

5. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the alert indicates a time at which the abnormal consumption of the natural gas began.

6. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the acts further comprise initiating a mitigating action to prevent an event based on the abnormal consumption of the natural gas.

7. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 6, wherein the mitigating action comprises:

turning off flow of the natural gas to the location;

alerting occupants of the location and/or nearby locations; and

/or

turning off power to the location.

8. A method comprising:

under control of a utility central office computing device located remotely to a utility meter, the central office computing device configured with computer-executable instructions;

receiving, at the utility central office computing device, data logging data comprising flow rate data of natural gas, the data logging data originating from the utility meter at a location, the utility meter having at least a utility company side that is upstream of the meter and a consumer side that is downstream of the meter;

based at least in part on the data logging data, determining that a current flow rate at the location corresponds to an abnormal consumption of the natural gas at the location by;

determining that the current flow rate exceeds a predetermined threshold consumption rate for a predetermined threshold amount of time, the predetermined threshold consumption rate including a first threshold consumption rate at a first time during the predetermined threshold amount of time and including a second threshold consumption rate at a second time during the predetermined threshold amount of time, at least one of the first threshold consumption rate or the second threshold consumption rate being based on at least one of a time of year, a current temperature, or an occupancy status; and

comparing the flow rate of the natural gas with one or more predetermined normal consumption patterns, the one or more predetermined normal consumption patterns being based at least in part on;

average natural gas consumption for other locations similarly situated to the location;

or

average natural gas consumption by other customers similarly situated to a customer currently associated with the utility meter;

determining, based on the flow rate, that the abnormal consumption is occurring on a customer side of the utility meter; and

alerting a utility, a customer associated with the utility meter, emergency services, and/or a third party of the abnormal consumption of the natural gas.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more predetermined normal consumption patterns further being based at least in part on:

historical natural gas consumption through the utility meter; and

/or

historical natural gas consumption by the customer currently associated with the utility meter.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising initiating a mitigating action to prevent an event based on the abnormal consumption of the natural gas.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the mitigating action comprises:

turning off flow of the natural gas to the location;

alerting occupants of the location and/or nearby locations; and

/or

turning off power to the location.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining that an amount of the abnormal consumption of the natural gas is sufficient to cause an explosion or fire.

13. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors;

memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

storing flow rate data of natural gas through a utility meter at a location, the utility meter having at least a utility company side that is upstream of the meter and a consumer side that is downstream of the meter;

determining that a current flow rate at the location is an abnormal consumption of natural gas at the location by;

determining that the current flow rate exceeds a predetermined threshold consumption rate for a predetermined threshold amount of time, the predetermined threshold consumption rate including a first threshold consumption rate at a first time during the predetermined threshold amount of time and including a second threshold consumption rate at a second time during the predetermined threshold amount of time; and

comparing the flow rate of the natural gas with one or more predetermined normal consumption patterns, the one or more predetermined normal consumption patterns being based at least in part on;

average natural gas consumption for other locations similarly situated to the location;

or

average natural gas consumption by other customers similarly situated to a customer currently associated with the utility meter;

determining, based on the flow rate, that the abnormal consumption is occurring on a customer side of the utility meter; and

alerting a utility, a customer associated with the utility meter, emergency services, and/or a third party of the abnormal consumption of the natural gas.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the computing device comprises at least one of a server of a central office, a data collection device at the location, or a network computing device in communication with the utility meter.

15. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise determining that an amount of the abnormal consumption of the natural gas is sufficient to cause an explosion or fire.