Water leak sensor management method, water leak sensor performing the same and storage media storing the same

• US 9,677,966 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2014
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG CNS Company Limited (LBHunet Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LG CNS Company Limited (LBHunet Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Cho, Sang Woong, Park, Cheolsoon, Seo, Sook-Ryon, Ahn, Jongpil
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi
• Application Number:
  US14/310,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20150000380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 340521, 34053922, 3406914, 340 1033, 3405393, 340602-605, 340618, 73 40
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 5/06 using electric or acoustic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/00 Investigating fluid-tightness of structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/243 for pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A water leak sensor management method includes a water leak sensor being installed in a underground pipe. The method includes detecting an operation time of the water leak sensor through a timer in a sleep mode, changing the sleep mode into a standby mode in the operation time of the water leak sensor to detect a sensor measuring procedure, and performing an operation for a transceiving component of the water leak sensor and determining whether the water leak sensor receives an external command or changes the standby mode into an operation mode based on the sensor measuring procedure.

Claims

1. A method for managing a water leak sensor coupled to a pipe, the method comprising:

detecting an operation time of the water leak sensor that is in a sleep mode, wherein in the sleep mode the water leak sensor supplies power to a real time clock (RTC) while blocking power to a transceiving component and blocking power to a sound sensing component;

causing the water leak sensor to change from the sleep mode to a standby mode according to the detected operation time, wherein in the standby mode the water leak sensor supplies power to both the RTC and the transceiving component, and continues to block power to the sound sensing component;

detecting a sensor measuring procedure after the water leak sensor changes to the standby mode;

performing an operation for the transceiving component of the water leak sensor based on the detected sensor measuring procedure; and

changing from the standby mode to an operation mode when the water leak sensor receives an external command via the transceiving component or when directed to by the detected sensor measuring procedure, wherein during the operation mode the water leak sensor supplies power to all of the RTC, the transceiving component, and the sound sensing component; and

obtaining data relating to the pipe after the power is supplied to the sound sensing component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein while the water leak sensor is in the sleep mode, the method further comprises:

providing battery status of the water leak sensor to a control server when a battery level of the water leak sensor is less than a threshold level, wherein the battery status causes the control server to adjust the operation time of the water leak sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

supplying the power to the transceiving component when the operation time of the water leak sensor is detected.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

waiting, during a specific time interval, for the receiving of the external command when the sensor measuring procedure operates as a manual mode.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

performing a shutdown on the transceiving component when the external command is not received and changing from the standby mode to the sleep mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the external command corresponds to at least one of a water leak sound data collection command, a water pressure data collection command, or a flow velocity data collection command for the pipe.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

obtaining the data relating to the pipe according to the external command;

transmitting a digital signal to a control server through an antenna, wherein the digital signal corresponds to the obtained data; and

blocking the power to the sound sensing component after the transmitting of the digital signal; and

changing the operating mode to the sleep mode when the blocking of the power to the sound sensing component is not completed after a specific time.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

changing from the standby mode to the operation mode when the sensor measuring procedure operates as an automatic mode and analyzing a batch file predetermined by a user to start to supply power to an operation component related to the batch file, and

wherein the operation component corresponds to the sound sensing component.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

sensing vibration of a sound wave of the pipe through an acceleration sensor of the sound sensing component during the operation mode; and

outputting an electric charge corresponding a vibration level of the sensed vibration.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

converting the electric charge into a voltage and amplifying the voltage via an amp of the sound sensing component.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting a digital signal to a control server through an antenna, wherein the digital signal corresponds to the amplified voltage; and

blocking power to the sound sensing component after the transmitting of the digital signal; and

changing from the operating mode to the sleep mode when the blocking of the power for the sound sensing component is not completed after a specific time.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the pipe is underground.

14. The water leak sensor of claim 12, wherein the sensor measuring procedure detecting unit is further configured to supply the power to the transceiving component when the operation time of the water leak sensor is detected.

15. The water leak sensor of claim 12, wherein the operation determining unit is further configured to wait, during a specific time interval, for the receiving of the external command when the sensor measuring procedure operates as a manual mode.

16. The water leak sensor of claim 12, wherein the operation determining unit is further configured to change from the standby mode to the operation mode when the sensor measuring procedure operates as an automatic mode and analyze a batch file predetermined by a user to start to supply power to an operation component related to the batch file, and

wherein the operation component corresponds to the sound sensing component.

13. A water leak sensor, comprising:

an operation time detecting unit configured to detect an operation time of the water leak sensor that is in a sleep mode, wherein in the sleep mode the water leak sensor supplies power to a real time clock (RTC) while blocking power to a transceiving component and blocking power to a sound sensing component;

a sensor measuring procedure detecting unit configured to;

cause the water leak sensor to change from the sleep mode to a standby mode according to the detected operation time, wherein in the standby mode the water leak sensor supplies power to both the RTC and the transceiving component, and continues to block power to the sound sensing component;

detect a sensor measuring procedure after the water leak sensor changes to the standby mode;

an operation determining unit configured to;

perform an operation for the transceiving component of the water leak sensor based on the detected sensor measuring procedure; and

change from the standby mode to an operation mode when the water leak sensor receives an external command via the transceiving component or when directed to by the detected sensor measuring procedure, wherein during the operation mode the water leak sensor supplies power to all of the RTC, the transceiving component, and the sound sensing component; and

obtain data relating to the pipe after the power is supplied to the sound sensing component.

17. A machine-readable non-transitory medium having stored thereon machine-executable instructions that is executed by a processor for:

detecting an operation time of the water leak sensor that is in a sleep mode, wherein in the sleep mode the water leak sensor supplies power to a real time clock (RTC) while blocking power to a transceiving component and blocking power to a sound sensing component;

causing the water leak sensor to change from the sleep mode to a standby mode according to the detected operation time, wherein in the standby mode the water leak sensor supplies power to both the RTC and the transceiving component, and continues to block power to the sound sensing component;

detecting a sensor measuring procedure after the water leak sensor changes to the standby mode;

performing an operation for the transceiving component of the water leak sensor based on the detected sensor measuring procedure; and

changing from the standby mode to an operation mode when the water leak sensor receives an external command via the transceiving component or when directed to by the detected sensor measuring procedure, wherein during the operation mode the water leak sensor supplies power to all of the RTC, the transceiving component, and the sound sensing component; and

obtaining data relating to the pipe after the power is supplied to the sound sensing component.