Systems and methods for reporting pipeline pressures
AssigneeAclara Technologies LLC
InventorsPeggy Devereaux, Vaishali Sangtani
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optimized, energy-sensitive system and method for fulfilling various data needs of gas utilities. In particular, the disclosure relates to optimized methods for discovering and reacting to an alarm. In one aspect, when an alarm is triggered a telemetry unit automatically alters its operating mode to begin transmitting live pressure reads every minute instead of every hour, as typically performed. This variance in operation eliminates the need for a user to monitor a pipeline system for an incoming alarm and manually request data by initiating a live communication session.
Claims20
A system for reporting utility data comprising:
- one or more sensor devices configured to generate sensor data associated with one or more parameters associated with a utility system;
- and
- a telemetry device including at least one transceiver and in communication with the one or more sensor devices and configured to transmit sensor data received from the one or more sensor device at a first interval, wherein the sensor data is received and recorded at the telemetry device between transmissions;
- wherein the telemetry device is further configured to request real time or near real time sensor data from the sensor device in response to receiving an alarm signal from at least one of the one or more sensor devices;
- and
- wherein the telemetry device transmits the real time or near real time sensor data at a second interval and simultaneously transmits the recorded sensor data at the first interval, wherein the second interval is shorter than the first interval.
A method for reporting utility data by a telemetry device comprising:
- operating in a first mode, wherein operating in the first mode comprises:
- waking from a sleep mode at predetermined intervals,
- reading pre-recorded data from one or more sensor devices,
- transmitting the pre-recorded data at a first transmission interval, and
- returning to the sleep mode,
- operating in a second mode in response to receiving an alarm signal from the one or more sensor devices, wherein operating in the second mode comprises:
- requesting real time or near real time trend data from the one or more sensor devices,
- transmitting the requested real time or near real time trend data at a second transmission interval and simultaneously transmitting the pre-recorded data at the first interval, wherein the second transmission interval is shorter than the first transmission interval,
- determining whether the alarm signal has been terminated;
- and
- resuming operation in the first mode in response to determining that the alarm signal has been terminated.
A telemetry device in communication with one or more sensor devices configured to monitor one or more aspects of a utility distribution network, comprising:
- a communication interface;
- and
- a controller including one or more electronic processors, wherein the electronic processors are configured to:
- operate in a first mode, wherein operating in the first mode includes:
- waking from a sleep state at predetermined intervals,
- receiving pre-recorded data from one or more sensor devices,
- transmitting the received pre-recorded data at a first transmission interval, and
- returning to the sleep state,
- receive an alarm signal from the one or more sensor devices;
- and
- operate in a second mode in response to receiving the alarm signal, wherein operating in the second mode includes;
- requesting real time or near real time trend data from the one or more sensor devices,
- receiving real time or near real time trend data from the one or more sensor devices, and
- transmitting the requested real time or near real time trend data at a second transmission interval and simultaneously transmitting the pre-recorded data at the first interval, wherein the second transmission interval is shorter than the first transmission interval.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.