# US 11,441,935 B2 · Flow rate determination based on limited observations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,441,935 B2 - Document ID: US11441935B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/426,300 - Filed: 2019-05-30 - Published: 2020-12-03 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-30 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Frank Liu; Cheng-Wei Yu; Vincent Moriarty - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441935B2 ## CPC - E02B 3/00: Engineering works in connection with control or use of streams, rivers, coasts, or other marine sites (barrages or weirs E02B7/00); Sealings or joints for engineering works in general - G01F 25/10: of flowmeters - E02B 7/205: {Barrages controlled by the variations of the water level; automatically functioning barrages (level regulators G05D9/00; the documents are filed in this subdivision and the relevant subdivision E02B7/26 - E02B7/50)} - G01F 1/002: wherein the flow is in an open channel - G01F 1/00: Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow (measuring a proportion of the volume flow G01F5/00) - Y02A 10/40: Controlling or monitoring, e.g. of flood or hurricane; Forecasting, e.g. risk assessment or mapping - E02B: HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING (ship-lifting E02C; dredging E02F) - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## Abstract Methods, systems and computer program products for determining an accurate flow rate based on limited observations are provided. Aspects include receiving a limited sample of flow rate data associated with a test site of a test river. Aspects also include determining topographical characteristics of the test site. Aspects also include determining a plurality of similar tested sites and generating a test site rating curve based on a combination of the limited sample of flow rate data and sufficient flow rate data associated with one or more of the plurality of similar tested sites. Aspects also include obtaining a stage reading associated with the test site from a sensor disposed at the test site. Aspects also include determining a flow rate of the test site based on the stage reading and the test site rating curve. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving, by a processor, a first dataset comprising a limited sample of flow rate data associated with a test site of a test river, wherein the limited sample of flow rate data comprises a first number of data points that is less than a threshold number of data points, the threshold number of data points are required for constructing an accurate rating curve; determining, by the processor, topographical characteristics of the test site; determining, by the processor, a similar tested site, wherein the similar tested site comprises a river site having topographical characteristics that are above a threshold level of similarity to the topographical characteristics of the test site and about which a second dataset comprising flow rate data has been collected; generating, by the processor, a new dataset that includes the first dataset comprising the limited sample of flow rate data associated with the test site and the second dataset comprising the flow rate data of the similar tested site, wherein the new dataset comprises a second number of data points that is greater than or equal to said threshold number of data points for constructing the accurate rating curve; computing, by the processor, a test site rating curve based on the new dataset that comprises a combination of the limited sample of flow rate data from the test site and the flow rate data from the similar tested site; obtaining, from a sensor disposed at the test site, a stage reading associated with the test site; and determining, by the processor based on the stage reading and the test site rating curve, a flow rate of the test site. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein flow rate data comprises a plurality of data points, each data point comprising a measured flow rate plotted in relation to a measured river stage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the accurate rating curve comprises a rating curve having an R-squared value above a predetermined threshold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the topographical characteristics comprise one or more of a slope of a river bed, a cross-sectional width of a river and a distance to a downstream lake or reservoir. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein computing a test site rating curve comprises applying a curve fitting algorithm to the new dataset that comprises the sufficient flow rate data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sensor disposed at the test site comprises a radar distance sensor disposed at a fixed position above the test site. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the similar tested site comprises a plurality of similar tested sites, and determining the similar tested site comprises determining that each topographical characteristic of the similar tested site is within a respective threshold range of a corresponding topographical characteristic associated with the test site. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising: determining, based on the flow rate of the test site, an amount to open a downstream floodgate; and automatically causing the downstream floodgate to open the determined amount. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising: obtaining continuous stage readings associated with the test site; determining, based on the continuous stage readings associated with the test site, continuous flow rates of the test site; and responsive to dynamically determining an amount to adjust a size of an intake opening to a turbine based on the flow rate of the test site, dynamically adjusting the size of an intake opening to the turbine. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising: determining, based on the flow rate of the test site, an estimated time of flooding at a downstream location; and automatically transmitting a flood warning to one or more devices associated with individuals proximate to the downstream location. ### Claim 11 A system comprising: a processor communicatively coupled to a memory, the processor configured to: receive a first dataset comprising a limited sample of flow rate data associated with a test site of a test river, wherein the limited sample of flow rate data comprises a first number of data points that is less than a threshold number of data points, the threshold number of data points are required for constructing an accurate rating curve; determine topographical characteristics of the test site; determine a plurality of similar tested sites, wherein a similar tested site comprises a river site having topographical characteristics that are above a threshold level of similarity to the topographical characteristics of the test site and about which a second dataset comprising flow rate data has been collected; generate a new dataset comprising the first dataset that includes the limited sample of flow rate data associated with the test site and one or more data points from the second datasets, respectively, corresponding to the similar tested sites, wherein the new dataset comprises a second number of data points that is greater than or equal to said threshold number of data points for constructing the accurate rating curve; compute a test site rating curve based on the new dataset that comprises a combination of the limited sample of flow rate data from the test site and the flow rate data from the similar tested sites; obtain, from a sensor disposed at the test site, a stage reading associated with the test site; and determine, based on the stage reading and the test site rating curve, a flow rate of the test site. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein flow rate data comprises a plurality of data points, each data point comprising a measured flow rate plotted in relation to a measured river stage. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the accurate rating curve comprises a rating curve having an R-squared value above a predetermined threshold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the topographical characteristics comprise one or more of a slope of a river bed, a cross-sectional width of a river and a distance to a downstream lake or reservoir. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein computing a test site rating curve comprises applying a curve fitting algorithm to the new dataset that comprises the sufficient flow rate data. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor disposed at the test site comprises a radar distance sensor disposed at a fixed position above the test site. ### Claim 17 A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith the program instructions executable by a computer processor to cause the computer processor to perform a method comprising: receiving a first dataset comprising a limited sample of flow rate data associated with a test site of a test river, wherein the limited sample of flow rate data comprises a first number of data points that is less than a threshold number of data points, the threshold number of data points are required for constructing an accurate rating curve; determining topographical characteristics of the test site; determining a plurality of similar tested sites, wherein a similar tested site comprises a river site having topographical characteristics that are above a threshold level of similarity to the topographical characteristics of the test site and about which a second dataset comprising flow rate data has been collected; generating a new dataset comprising the first dataset that includes the limited sample of flow rate data associated with the test site and one or more data points from the second datasets, respectively, corresponding to the similar tested sites, wherein the new dataset comprises a second number of data points that is greater than or equal to said threshold number of data points for constructing the accurate rating curve; computing a test site rating curve based on the new dataset that comprises a combination of the limited sample of flow rate data from the test site and the flow rate data from the similar tested sites; obtaining, from a sensor disposed at the test site, a stage reading associated with the test site; and determining, based on the stage reading and the test site rating curve, a flow rate of the test site. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computer program product of claim 17, wherein flow rate data comprises a plurality of data points, each data point comprising a measured flow rate plotted in relation to a measured river stage. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the accurate rating curve comprises a rating curve having an R-squared value above a predetermined threshold. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the topographical characteristics comprise one or more of a slope of a river bed, a cross-sectional width of a river and a distance to a downstream lake or reservoir.