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US 10,857,403 B2Granted
Infrastructure monitoring devices, systems, and methods
AssigneeMueller International, LLC
InventorsGregory E. Hyland, Robert Paul Keefe, Marietta Edmunds Zakas, Clayton Robert Barker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An infrastructure monitoring assembly includes a fire hydrant; a pipe connected in fluid communication with the fire hydrant, a fluid at least partially filling the pipe; a sensor positioned in the fluid, the sensor configured to measure a parameter of the fluid; and a processor connected in communication with the sensor, the processor configured to receive a signal from the sensor.
Claims33
An infrastructure monitoring assembly comprising:
- a fire hydrant defining a cavity, the fire hydrant comprising a body and a bonnet, the bonnet defining a top bonnet end and a bottom bonnet end, a nut defined at the top bonnet end, the body defining a top end and a bottom end, the cavity extending into the body from the bottom end of the body towards bottom bonnet end of the bonnet coupled to the top end of the body, the bonnet sealed off from the cavity, the bonnet defining an interior region;
- a pipe connected in fluid communication with the fire hydrant, the pipe coupled to the bottom end of the body, a fluid at least partially filling the pipe;
- a sensor positioned contacting the fluid, the sensor configured to measure a parameter of the fluid;
- and
- a processor connected in communication with the sensor, the processor configured to receive a signal from the sensor, the processor positioned between the nut and the bottom bonnet end inside the interior region of the bonnet and outside of the cavity.
2 more elements
A method for monitoring an infrastructure network, the method comprising:
- positioning a sensor in contact with a fluid, the fluid at least partially filling a pipe of the infrastructure network, the pipe connected in fluid communication with a fire hydrant of the infrastructure network, the fire hydrant defining a cavity, the fire hydrant comprising a body and a bonnet, the bonnet defining a top bonnet end and a bottom bonnet end, a nut defined at the top bonnet end, the body defining a top end and a bottom end, the cavity extending into the body from the bottom end of the body towards the top end of the body, the bottom bonnet end of the bonnet coupled to the top end of the body, the bonnet sealed off from the cavity, the bonnet defining an interior region, the pipe coupled to the bottom end of the body;
- measuring a parameter of the fluid with the sensor;
- receiving a signal from the sensor with a processor, the signal conveying information about the parameter, the processor positioned between the nut and the bottom bonnet end inside the interior region of the bonnet and outside of the cavity;
- and
- transmitting the information from an antenna to an operation center, the antenna connected in wireless communication with the operation center, the antenna connected in electrical communication with the processor.
2 more elements
An infrastructure monitoring system comprising:
- an infrastructure network comprising a fire hydrant and a pipe, the pipe connected in fluid communication with the fire hydrant, the pipe at least partially filled with a fluid, the fire hydrant defining a cavity, the fire hydrant comprising a body and a bonnet, the bonnet defining a top bonnet end and a bottom bonnet end, a nut defined at the top bonnet end, the body defining a top end and a bottom end, the cavity extending into the body from the bottom end of the body towards the top end of the body, the bottom bonnet end of the bonnet coupled to the top end of the body, the bonnet sealed off from the cavity, the bonnet defining an interior region, the pipe coupled to the bottom end of the body;
- a monitoring device comprising a sensor, a processor, and an antenna, the processor connected in communication with the sensor and the antenna, the processor positioned between the nut and the bottom bonnet end inside the interior region of the bonnet and outside of the cavity, the sensor positioned in contact with the fluid, the sensor configured to measure a parameter of the fluid;
- and
- an operation center connected in communication with the monitoring device.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.