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Systems and methods for fluid flow meter integrated leak detection

  • US 10,830,664 B2
  • Filed: 10/27/2019
  • Issued: 11/10/2020
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2018
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A fluid flow meter comprising:

  • a fluid flow sensor to generate fluid flow measurement signals indicative of fluid flow through a lumen of a fluid distribution system;

    a memory to store data and computer code instructions; and

    a processor communicatively coupled to the fluid flow sensor and the memory, the processor to execute the computer code instructions to;

    determine, using a plurality of first measurement signals generated by the fluid flow sensor during a training phase subsequent to installation of the fluid flow meter in the fluid distribution system, a corresponding plurality of first measurements of a fluid flow parameter and first timing information, the fluid flow parameter including fluid flow rate or fluid flow velocity, and the first timing information indicative of time intervals between consecutive first measurements;

    identify, using the plurality of first measurements, a plurality of first fluid flow events, each first fluid flow event representing a sequence of non-zero measurements of the plurality of first measurements;

    generate, using the plurality of first measurements, the first timing information and the plurality of first fluid flow events, a training flow duration pattern including a plurality of bins, each bin representing (i) a value range of a plurality of value ranges of the fluid flow parameter and (ii) a corresponding time duration threshold representing an estimate of maximum cumulative time during which the fluid flow parameter, for any of the plurality of fluid flow events, is within the respective value range;

    determine, using a plurality of second measurement signals obtained from the fluid flow sensor during a detection phase subsequent to the training phase, a plurality of second measurements of the fluid flow parameter and second timing information, the second timing information indicative of time intervals between consecutive second measurements and the plurality of second measurements associated with a second fluid flow event representing a sequence of non-zero measurements;

    determine, using the plurality of second measurements and the second timing information, for a first bin of the plurality of bins associated with a respective first value range of the plurality of value ranges, a second time duration representing cumulative time of the second fluid flow event during which the fluid flow parameter is within the first value range; and

    detect a leak event based on a comparison of the second time duration to the time duration threshold of the first bin.

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